The Cullen Dilemma COMPLETE
by Jaynor
Summary: Two brothers, one laid back and friendly, the other uptight and a bit pompous. One girl, caught in the middle. Bella buys her first home, unaware of the family feud between her two neighbours, brothers, Edward Masen-Cullen and Jasper Whitlock. In fact, she doesn't realise they're in any way related! Both befriend Bella, leaving her with a dilemma - a Cullen dilemma.
1. Chapter 1

_Dear Reader,_

 _I'm that sad writer who, long ago, left an unfinished story. On clearing out folders I rediscovered it and decided to make a few tweaks, get it finished and repost it. I'm English, so I've borrowed all the usual characters and anglicised them. The story is set in the UK, the accents and spelling are British…if there's anything you don't understand, please feel free to drop me a message._

 _The first chapter provides some background. The Cullens won't show up for a while yet, but hang in there; it will be worth it when they do. I hope to tell a well-crafted tale. If lemons are included, it will be to enhance the story, not for gratuitous smut value (However much we all like a bit of smut!)_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter One**

… _and the sofas would fit in here perfectly_ …

"Ahem." The clearing of a throat brought me out of my daydream.

"Sorry," I mumbled apologetically. "I was just thinking…"

The agent smiled, clearly used to prospective buyers zoning out as the imagined how their belongings might fit into the different rooms.

"As I was saying," the agent continued, "the development is small but beautifully thought out. The builder has gone out of his way to ensure all materials are eco-friendly, gathered from sustainable sources; the predicted carbon footprint is extremely low and all energy sources are renewable."

"Impressive."

It was very impressive, but so far it was the feel of the place that had captured my interest.

"Let's go through to the kitchen," suggested the agent. "Of course, this particular example is pre-fitted to give clients an idea of the possibilities. Should you decide to go ahead with a purchase, there's a wide range of fixtures and fittings available to choose from."

I looked around the room, taking in all the details, trying hard not to get overexcited by what I saw. Although I wasn't convinced by the dark wood finish, I loved the layout of this room. Spacious cupboards ran above and below the work surfaces; the essential appliances were built-in, protected by matching doors, and a large butler's sink was located under a window, overlooking the neatly landscaped garden plot.

The far end of the room had large glazed doors.

"These are bi-fold," the agent enthused, unlocking the door and sweeping them open. Gliding silently, the doors appeared to compress until the whole wall was pushed to one side and the outside and inside space merged.

I nodded my approval, thinking of how I'd put my nana's old kitchen table in here, and maybe a couple of cosy chairs.

Upstairs was just as well laid out. I was happy to see that the rooms were well-proportioned, with plenty of storage. I was being shown a four-bedroomed model, but I knew that, realistically, the price was a little beyond my pocket. I also knew that there was a two or three bedroomed option scheduled which, for someone like me, would be perfect.

The agent's phone rang, so I excused myself to take a further, unaccompanied, look around. This was it – the one – my potential forever home.

By the time the agent completed her call, the decision was made.

"Sorry about that; shall we head back to the site office?" she asked.

We stepped outside, put on our safety helmets and she locked the front door.

"I know it looks a mess right now," she was saying, as we carefully avoided muddy puddles and building materials. "But in six months' time, when the work is complete, it will be a fantastic little development."

I looked down at the architect's model of the site; twelve individual properties, each surrounded by its' own generous garden, positioned in a Cul de Sac. I checked out the map, carefully taking in the location of each house; I had a preference for east-west facing to capture the best of the days' light. Finally, I read through the brochure, weighing up the pros and cons of each design, along with its price.

Plot 7. My eyes kept going back to the two-bedroomed house, tucked into the corner of the development, sandwiched between a modest three bed and a rather ostentatious looking five bed family home.

Having checked that Plot 7 was indeed available, I began the process of buying my very first house.

T-C-D

"Well?" asked my friend and colleague, Emmett McCarty, as we filed out of the staffroom after team briefing on Monday morning.

"I've done it, Em. Taken the plunge! Bitten the bullet!"

"Not before time," Emmett pulled me to his side for a hug. "I was worried you were going to spend your whole teaching career living in a grotty student bedsit."

I nudged him in the ribs.

"Ow! Stop bullying me, Swan."

I shook my head and grinned. As if I, Isabella Swan, 5 feet 2 inches, 7 stone 8 pounds, could bully the man mountain that was Emmett McCarty.

Emmett stuck out his bottom lip; then, when he saw it wasn't working, grinned back at me.

"See you at break time, Swan," he said. "Are you on playground duty?"

"Not today, thank goodness. I've got a million and one things to think about."

We parted ways at Emmett's classroom door.

T-C-D

I'd met Emmett McCarty during fresher's week in college – well, at 6 feet 4 inches in his bare feet, it was hard to miss him.

I'd been waiting patiently in the cafeteria queue, as the people ahead selected their food. I had my eye on the last BLT roll in the chiller cabinet. I was just about to pick it up when a great arm reached over and snatched it.

"Hey! That was my sandwich." I turned to see a tall – very tall – man, with blue eyes, a cheeky grin and dimples.

"Whoa there, little one, I didn't see you all the way down there," he said, laughing at his own joke.

I'd met his type before; he might think he could charm his way out of anything, but he hadn't met Isabella Marie Swan. I drew myself up to my full height and looked him in the…chest. I raised my eyes to meet his, unsurprised to find him smirking down at me.

"You…" I sputtered, raising my finger and pointing at him. "You…are rude!"

His smirk disappeared, to be replaced with a full on belly laugh. His amusement only served to increase my anger.

"Yes. Rude!" I was prodding him with my finger now. "And you're…big enough to know better."

I might have stamped my foot, just maybe.

"Did you just have a tiny tantrum?" He was laughing so hard, tears were now rolling down his dimpled cheeks.

"Just give me my sandwich, "I demanded, glaring at the big oaf.

"You snooze, you lose, little one. This yummy snack has my name on it." He unwrapped the cellophane and took a huge bite, a disgusting grin still on his face.

"I can't believe you just did that," I yelled. "You stole my lunch, you big, big…"

I didn't manage to get my final word out.

"If you'd just come this way," a voice behind me said.

"I don't want to…" I stopped. A uniformed man was attempting to guide my by the elbow.

"You're holding up the queue, Miss," he said.

The idiot was still laughing as I attempted to delay my enforced removal. I glared back at him as he mouthed the word 'priceless.'

"You, too, Sir." A second security guard had appeared. "Let's take this outside and let these good people get on with their lunch in peace."

Within a split second, all his bravado had disappeared. His head went down and a blush tinged the tip of his ears.

As we passed the till, he dug his hand into his pocket and produced money for the much-desired food item.

I glared at him.

"What?" He shrugged. "I'm an honest bloke."

Outside, the security guards gave us both a talking to, leaving us rather embarrassed about our behaviour.

"I'm sorry, little one," the big oaf apologised, "I just thought it would be funny."

"Well, maybe I overreacted a little - first day nerves and all that."

He held out a large hand. "Emmett McCarty. Here to study education with a special interest in maths."

I grasped it. "Bella Swan. Ditto! Education, specialising in English."

"I think our job here is finished, Kev." The first guard nodded in our direction.

The second rolled his eyes and walked away with his mate. "Ruddy students," he muttered.

T-C-D

Over a late lunch, I discovered that Emmett, like me, was an only child. We shared a love of books and music, although our tastes differed significantly, and we'd both aspired to becoming teachers from a very early age.

"My mum and pops are both teachers," Em told me, chewing on a large piece of flapjack.

"They should've taught you to close your mouth when eating!" I grimaced over the table.

"Sorry, little one. Lots of thoughts to put into words, so little time." He swallowed.

"Hmph! Well, no teachers anywhere in my family; I'm the first one to even go to college," I shared.

"Dad thinks it's a waste of time and I should train for something useful in industry. He believes that's where the big money is."

"So, he's keen for you to earn lots of money?"

"Uh-huh. He keeps telling me, no mon-mon, no fun-fun." I think I may have rolled my eyes. Emmett simply grinned.

"But, it's your life, little one. Your choice to make."

I sighed. "I know. It's so difficult though. Everything I've ever done, well, it never seems good enough for him."

"What about your mum?" Emmett inquired.

"She's great. Loves me to bits and backs me completely."

"But?"

"But, she's in a tricky situation. My nana, her mom, lives with us and it's awkward. She hates dad, dad hates her back. Mum is caught in the middle. She spends a lot of time and energy trying to keep everyone happy."

"Rubbish situation, then?"

I nodded. "Not always the easiest place to be. I feel a bit like a pawn in a chess game, sometimes."

Emmett wiggled his eyebrows, making himself look ridiculous. "Hmmm, porn, nice!"

"Oh. My. Life! P…A…W…N, not the other kind. What are you, a sex-obsessed fourteen year old boy?"

"No, little one, I'm a healthily sex-obsessed eighteen year old man. And we're in college, baby!"

T-C-D

I heard those words many times over the next 4 years. Em and I bonded over beers, homework, lectures, teaching practises and troubles.

One drunken kiss that first term, and the awkwardness that followed, made us swear to stick to being friends. I'd never had a big brother, but I was pretty sure that Emmett McCarty was the closest thing I'd ever get.

Em was the person I celebrated with each time we got great marks for an assignment and Em was the one I cried on every time I messed up, yet another, relationship.

"Oh, little one, you've got to stop doing this to yourself," he said, as he hugged me close after my break-up with Tim, boyfriend of 3 weeks standing.

"Doing what?" I snuffled. "I only want to be loved."

"You are loved," he sighed. "The only one who thinks she's not good enough, is you. Stop substituting lust for love. I hate seeing you let yourself be used like this."

We didn't speak for several weeks after that. I knew, on some level, that Emmett was quite right, but I was trapped in a downward spiral. I desperately wanted to feel valued, to feel good enough, and as soon as a guy showered me with attention, I was hooked.

Happily, I survived my first year and passed the course with good marks. Emmett passed with flying colours, of course.

We'd found a student house, near to college, to rent for our second year. Two girls, Angela and Leah, from our course joined us. They were good girls and we soon became close. Emmett seemed to love being surrounded by women; he wasn't even fazed when he found our underwear, hanging over the bath to dry.

"Hey," he'd told us. "I'm secure in my sexuality. I love you girls, but I'm all man."

As the year drew on, we'd been working like demons, preparing for our final teaching practise of the year. I'd been assigned to a school about an hours' minibus ride away. Em was luckier; his school was within walking distance of our student house.

"How did it go, Swan?" he asked as I slumped at the table after a long first day.

"Okay, I think," I replied. "The regular class teacher, Mr. Black, was out on a training course, so I had the honour of the head teacher being in class with me today."

Emmett laughed. "Did you get to do any actual teaching?"

"I mostly did observations and helped out when some of the students were stuck. I did get to read a story, though. How about you?" I grinned.

"It was pretty good. I was allowed to work with a small group and I got to visit several different classes to see the different maths levels."

I finished writing up my journal and retired to my room, happily oblivious to what awaited me the following day.

T-C-D

He had his back to me as I approached the classroom. I tapped on the door, before entering.

He turned and smiled directly at me. I was instantly dazzled. Tall, dark hair, neatly cropped, big brown eyes and the straightest, whitest smile I'd ever seen.

"Ah, Miss Swan. I've been expecting you. I'm Jacob Black, welcome to class 3B. Sorry, I wasn't here yesterday – training course, I'm sure Mrs. Hamilton took great care of you."

I gathered myself, not wanting to appear a total nerd.

"Good morning, Mr Black. I'm Isabella Swan, but I usually go by Bella. Thank you for letting my work in your class."

"I'm delighted to have you," he replied. "Call me Jake – not in front of the children, of course."

We laughed, and I'm sure I blushed.

Jake was an amazing teacher. All the children in the class loved him. Before the week was out, I was pretty sure I loved him, too.

He was so helpful, kind and attentive. He showed me the best ways to plan and differentiate lessons; he encouraged me to work with small groups and, ultimately, to teach my first ever whole class lesson.

"We work so well together, Bella," he told me at the end of my first week. "You're going to be a fabulous teacher."

"I'm really loving it, Jake. Teaching is so fulfilling, everything I ever hoped it would be."

"How about a quick drink to celebrate your first week? I'm nearly finished here and a group of us usually go to the pub on Fridays."

"I'd love to, but I need to get the minibus back to college."

I was starry-eyed when he offered to drop me off. He lived across the city and had to drive out that way anyhow.

We joined a small group of people in a little pub. The conversation was fun and lively, a group of young professionals winding down from a hectic week.

Once or twice, Jake put his hand on my arm or my back and I felt a small shiver pass up my spine.

We rode home, chatting all the way. Jake was a great raconteur, and he told me little stories about some of his students.

"One of my favourites was in an Art lesson," he told me, laughing. "We were looking at the work of famous artists, and I showed an image of The Mona Lisa. I asked the kids who painted it. After a few minutes of silence, I thought I'd better give them a hint, so I told them, Leonardo."

"Did they get it?"

"After a fashion. Jamie put up his hand and suggested that Leonardo di Caprio was the artist."

We both laughed out loud.

"I love the way children see the world; their innocence is great."

We'd come to a halt at the end of my road.

"That it is, Bella, that it is." Jake looked straight at me. He leaned over and lightly kissed my cheek. "You're a great girl, Bella. Thanks for this week, see you on Monday."

"Have a fantastic weekend, Jake," I replied.

I skipped all the way home.

T-C-D

The next three weeks flew by. I worked hard, wanting to do well, and got glowing feedback from the school and my supervising tutors.

Jake was my champion. He helped me every step of the way. He also made me believe, for the first time in my life, that I was good enough. We'd spend time after school, discussing everything and anything. We went for drinks a couple of times a week. He praised my work and he praised me.

Heated discussions led to little touches. Little touches led to heated kisses and heated kisses led to sex, mostly in the back of Jake's car.

"Wow, Bella! You're perfect," he whispered, as we gathered ourselves after a particularly satisfying session. "We're perfect together."

"I love you, Jake." I replied.

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me into silence.

The final week was drawing to a close. On my last day, Friday, I was teaching an English lesson, with Jake observing, when Mrs. Hinds, the school secretary, came in. She bent over to give Jake a message. Jake paled and immediately got up and left the room.

"Sorry to interrupt, Miss Swan," she said. "I'll talk to you after the lesson."

At playtime, she sought me out.

"Sorry about that, Bella. Jake's wife called to say that Ethan had fallen from a climbing frame at pre-school, and needed him to meet her at the hospital. Poor little lad, he's always getting into scrapes and Lizzie is so good with him, although it's harder at present, what with carrying twins."

"It must be." I managed to reply.

"Can you manage the rest of the morning with the class?" she asked. "Mrs. Hamilton will be in to take over this afternoon."

"Of course," I said. "I'll help anyway I can."

Inside I was dying, but I knew that I had to remain professional at all costs. My future depended on it.

"Isabella, just pop into my office, will you?" The head teacher had pulled me aside after school when everyone had gathered to say goodbye and good luck.

"Of course, Mrs. Hamilton, I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

I collected up all my belongings and headed towards her door.

"Come on in," she said, with a friendly smile. "Sit down, Bella. I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work and tell you how impressed the whole team has been with your contribution."

"Thank you, so much," I said. "I've loved every second."

"You're gifted, Bella, a natural. Remember that, and don't let anything convince you otherwise. If you ever need a reference, I'd be very happy to provide one."

"You're very kind," I said, standing to take my leave. I moved towards the door.

"Oh, and Bella…"

I looked back.

"…Jacob Black is a great teacher, but a terrible husband. He's a charmer and very plausible, but don't be fooled, he's misbehaved before and he will again. He abuses his position of trust. We've been keeping a close eye on him for some time and I wouldn't be surprised to see him change direction in the very near future."

I nodded tentatively, understanding the subtext of her message.

"Good girl, Bella. You are worth so much more. Keep in touch; let us know how it's going, okay?"

"Thanks." I fled before the tears started to fall.

T-C-D

That was my summer of despair. I cried, mooched, moped and cried some more. Emmett had gone home for the holiday, but was in constant touch.

As September neared, I recognised the need to toughen up and change if I was going to survive college.

I stopped random dating and I gave up on romantic notions of love at first sight. I went out with the girls, and Em of course, and had fun dancing the night away. We worked hard, we played hard, and we looked after one another.

Before we knew it, we were in our final year. Placements came and went, dissertations were completed and the final ball attended.

Both Emmett and I were lucky enough to secure jobs straight from college, him in a small village school and me in a city primary.

After two years, I applied for a new position, in a brand new school, taking responsibility for the development of English.

To my delight, I got the job and it only got better when Emmett applied, and was given, the Maths post.

Five years on, we were both established and settled in our careers.

Emmett had met and settled down with Rosalie Hale; they'd bought a house together and were happily awaiting the birth of their first child.

Meanwhile, I'd remained happily single, throwing all me energy into work and friendships.

Now, here I am, in my thirtieth year, about to take possession of my own home. Life is good.


	2. Chapter 2

_Lovely Reader,_

 _I know you're out there and I thank you for reading this little tale. This chapter is rather shorter, but we do get to spend a bit more time with Em, Rose and Bella. We also bump into a new and rather interesting character – who seems to know quite a bit about sustainable resources. All human, all English … ask if you're not sure!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Two**

"…and these are the kitchen walls going up." I tapped the screen on my iPad to move to the next image.

"It's a wall, Swan. A pile of breeze blocks."

"Emmett McCarty, stop being such a grump. This is your best friends' new home we're looking at. Go on, Bella. I'm interested, even if this great big philistine isn't." Rosalie Hale, Em's very pregnant fiancée, was being suitably encouraging.

Emmett sighed.

"Oh, go and put the kettle on, make yourself useful," Rose told him. "I'll have a peppermint tea. Bella?"

"Just ordinary tea for me, Em. The usual."

"Not too strong, milk, no sugar."

"Ahhh, you remember; so sweet," I cooed, grinning at Emmett's smiling face. He should know how I took my tea; we'd been friends for a little over 10 years now.

"So, the house is on its way, what next Bella? Do I need to start searching for a man?" Rose stroked her rounded belly. "Your biological clock must be ticking!"

"Not that loudly," I told my friend. "I have over thirty children to call my own on a daily basis."

"But it's not the same," she insisted. "Em loves all the kids in his class, but he can't wait for this little one to arrive."

"He'll be a fantastic daddy, Rose." I was thrilled for my friends. "You do realise, this baby will be spoilt rotten?"

"I'm one very lucky lady," she said, with a smile.

"Oh, yes, she is!" Emmett re-entered the room, carrying a tray full of tea things. "I'm here just to be at her beck and call."

We laughed together, knowing that Emmett would do anything for Rose.

"So, Swan; when's the completion date on the house?"

"I spoke to the builder yesterday and he reckons another 8 to 10 weeks, so I should be in during the summer holiday."

"Perfect timing, then," said Rose. "Have you picked your units out, yet?"

"I'm going at the weekend," I told her. "Want to come?"

"I'd love to," she said.

"Rose, my love." I looked at Rose. We both knew that tone of voice.

"Emmett, I'm pregnant, not ill," Rose muttered. She rolled her eyes towards me.

"But it's a building site. There'll be materials and machinery everywhere."

"It's much better than when you last saw it, Em," I reassured him. "I promise to take care of them both."

Emmett groaned, but he knew when he was beaten.

"Fine, fine. Just as long as you don't let her do anything too strenuous."

A loud coughing drew our attention. "Excuse me, I am here, you know! AND I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

I knew it was time for me to go. We agreed a time for me collect Rose, before I headed for home.

T-C-D

I'd been doing lots of online homework. I'd seen so many tiles and kitchen units and bathroom suites over the past few weeks and I was still as undecided as ever. I was still poring over options as I finished my breakfast on Saturday morning.

I knew I wanted something classic, timeless if possible. I shuddered at the thought of the avocado green suite in my current flat; it may have been fashionable in the '70's but it was a nightmare to keep clean. I'd more than likely stick to white suites.

I was hoping and praying that, once I saw the shell of my kitchen and how the light fell, I'd know exactly what to choose.

Rose was on good form when I picked her up.

"Looking radiant, Miss Rosie." I leant over to kiss her cheek. "Pregnancy really suits you."

"Well, apart from not being able to get comfortable, heartburn, swollen ankles, morning sickness, needing to pee almost constantly, weird cravings and waddling like a duck…it's been a breeze."

We both giggled.

"Not too long to wait now, though," I said. "Just think you'll have all the summer, with Em at home, to enjoy the munchkin."

"We hope to see plenty of Aunty Bella, too."

"You just want a free babysitter," I teased.

"You think Em and I would take advantage of your friendship that way?" Rose asked.

I nodded my head, rather vigorously. "Yup!"

"Damn, Swan. You know us too well."

I was pleased to see how things had changed in the relatively short space of a week since my last visit. The walls were up and the roof was on. The frames for the doors and windows were in place but not yet glazed. I was also delighted that the internal walls were in place; I could actually see the layout of my living rooms.

"It's going to be great, Bella." Rose was standing in the lounge space. "Is that space over there for a fireplace?"

"Yes, I'm going to have an energy efficient multi-fuel burner. Just imagine winter evenings, cozied up in front of the fire."

"All you need is a man to cosy up to." Rose never gave up. I ignored her, as usual.

"I'm perfectly happy with my books, thank you very much; far less trouble and a lot more reliable. Although I've been thinking, I might get a dog. Have you seen the size of my garden?"

Rose ooh-ed and aah-ed in all the right places, as I explained what I was hoping to do with the slightly jungle-like plot out back.

"…and I really want to have a go at growing my own vegetables. That area over there would be perfect."

"Just don't forget how to have fun, Bells. I'd hate to see you as the eccentric singleton that spends all her life making jam."

"I know how to party, Miss Hale … just not for as long or as hard as I used to. Getting rat-arsed, a one-night stand with some loser and the hangover from hell don't have the appeal they once used to."

"Aw, my baby's all grown up." She laughed.

"Let's go back to the sales office and check out the fittings. I think I know what will fit perfectly in here."

"Lead on, Miss Swan. I'm waddling right behind you."

T-C-D

Rose sat on the sofa, a bottle of water in her hand, while I checked out my final choices.

"Which one do you like, Rose?" I asked. "I can't decide between these two."

Rose shrugged and took another swig of her water.

I tried out a silent scream, but a strange squeak left my lips. Rosalie laughed.

"Oh, come on, Swan. How hard can it be to choose kitchen units? They look much the same to me."

"It's important to me that they're sustainable."

Rose huffed and pulled out her buzzing smartphone. "Hi, Emmy, " she said, indicating to me that she'd be outdoors.

"I hope you don't mind my butting in; I didn't mean to listen to your conversation, but I couldn't help overhearing your dilemma."

I looked up to see the smiling face of a man. He was tall and slim and probably similar in age to me.

"I'd go for the sustainable oak if I were you. It's grown in the UK and every time a mature tree is harvested, 10 saplings are planted as replacements."

"I do like the light wood, and the grain," I said.

Well, if you wanted it even lighter, you could have it limed," he said. He went over to the array of doors and pulled out an example. "It's a waxing process that embeds pigment into the natural grain. Makes the whole thing look beautiful without compromising the quality."

"I love it," I exclaimed. "Thank you so much for your help…Mister…"

"Whitlock. I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself; I'm Jasper Whitlock, soon to be owner of Plot 6."

"Well, thank you, Jasper. I'm Bella Swan, Plot 7. Looks like we're going to be neighbours."

"Indeed. Do you have a completion date, yet?"

We chatted for several more minutes, before his sales agent called him over.

"It's been nice meeting you, Bella. See you around?"

"Absolutely, Jasper. Thanks again for the advice."

"Any time."

T-C-D

"Who was the hottie?" Rose barely had the car door closed before she began her interrogation.

"Shush, Rose. He'll hear you."

Jasper Whitlock had just exited the office and was walking towards his car, which just happened to be parked next to mine.

"You should so tap that," she said. "He is gorgeous. If I wasn't totally in love with my Emmy…"

"Rosalie Hale, stop right now. That's my new next door neighbour."

"Better and better."

"Rose, I don't need a relationship right now."

"Girlie, I didn't even mention the R word. I was thinking more along the lines of a quick f..."

"Hold it right there, Hale." I managed to interrupt before her language became X-rated.

She wiggled her eyebrows, suggestively. I groaned.

"You've been living with Emmett for too long; you're even developing his mannerisms."

"Oh, Bella, Bella, Bella," she whined. "You're young, free and single. Live a little. Not every bloke is…"

"Rosalie! Don't even go there. That was a long, long time ago. In the past. Nothing at all to do with now. I've got a job I adore, friends I love – even when they're being interfering – and I'm just about to buy my first home. I'm happy, Rose."

"But, you should…"

"But nothing, Rose. The subject is closed. Okay?"

"Okay, Bella, Okay." Rose knew not to push too hard.

The short journey home was quiet. I turned on the radio and Rose's head began to droop forwards.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty, you're home." I gave Rose a gentle shake, not wanting to shock her awake too quickly.

"I wasn't sleeping." She yawned. "I was just resting my eyes."

"Of course you were," I said in my most soothing voice. "Let's get you indoors so you and that bump can have a little rest."

"Mmm, good idea," she said.

We walked to the front door together, arriving just as Emmett pulled it open.

"Good time, ladies?"

"Very productive," I replied. "Although I think someone needs a nap."

"Bloody pregnancy hormones." Rose let loose with another massive yawn.

"See you both soon," I said, leaning in to kiss Rose's cheek. "Look after these three, you big oaf." I pulled Em into a hug.

"Bella," Rose called as I headed back towards my car. "Sorry."

"No worries, Rose, no worries," I whispered to myself as I switched on the engine and pulled away.


	3. Chapter 3

_Dear Reader,_

 _Thanks for hanging on in there; things will begin to move a little faster soon. Are you ready to meet another of Bella's new neighbours? He's very different to the lovely, helpful Jasper! Oh, yes … a teeny, weeny bit of excitement at the end of the chapter_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Three**

"I'm exhausted. I can't wait until half past two." I let my head rest on the table in front of me.

"Only a couple more hours to go, little one. Hang in there." Emmett gave my shoulders a quick rub.

"I know, Em. End of term is always tiring, but moving house on top of it…" My voice faded away.

"I really need a good holiday and instead I'm packing boxes and clearing out cupboards. I can't believe I've held onto so much crap."

"You're a classic hoarder, Swan."

"Not at all, McCarty. I'm just a damned good teacher, doing a damned good job. All the things I keep might come in useful someday."

"Oh, like the pieces of old bike you keep in a tea chest in your loft."

"How did you know about those?"

"I know everything, Swan." Emmett laughed. "Get rid of them; you're never going to use them."

"They'll be fantastic for design and technology sculptures."

"How many years have we been teaching now, little one?"

"Erm…around seven?" I hoped that if I gave a vague response, Em would let it go.

"Time for a new beginning, Bella. Ditch the shit. New house, fresh start."

"I'll think about it, Emmett. Promise."

"Good girl. Now, back to the grindstone. We've classrooms to tidy and kids to teach."

"Because after lunch on the day we break up, we're going to impart so much wisdom," I replied, sarcastically.

"That we are, Swan; that we are."

T-C-D

Not only did I think about what Emmett had suggested, I actually followed through with the idea. I hired a large skip and set about sorting through my life so far.

Things to keep went into neatly labelled cardboard boxes. Things in really poor condition were dumped in the skip. A final group of items were set aside for the local charity shop – I really couldn't just throw away things that someone might be able to use.

I was about half way through sorting out the loft when the alarm on my mobile phone pinged.

"Damn!" I looked at the pop up reminder. I'd almost completely forgotten my appointment with the site representative. She'd called to ask if I could go over the house to make a snagging list –any small jobs that needed to be done before I took possession. I was excited about moving, of course I was, but I had so much still to do.

Looking at the clock, I realised that I could just about make it on time if I left now. I'd planned to change out of my tatty, housework clothes and into something decent, but there wasn't time.

Thanks to a set of malfunctioning traffic lights, I was 5 minutes late.

My rep, Joanna, was chatting to a middle-aged man.

"You will make sure it's top of the range oak, won't you?"

"Yes, of course, Sir. All our oak…"

He cut her off. "I don't need a lecture, thank you. Just your reassurance that things will be supplied and fitted according to plan."

"Absolutely." Jo was very good at dealing with difficult customers. "I'll give you a call just as soon as the units arrive."

"An email will suffice," the man said in a rather snooty tone. "I'm a very busy man."

"Of course, Mister Masen."

"Masen-Cullen," he reiterated. "It's hyphenated. I'll be waiting to hear from you."

He turned and swept out of the office, but not before I noticed that he wasn't as middle-aged as he'd appeared. He'd possibly be quite attractive if he wasn't so unpleasant.

"Sorry, Bella." Jo apologised as she stepped towards me. "I wasn't expecting Mister Masen-Cullen today, but it was easier to deal with him than not."

"Poor you," I said. "I get the impression it's better to be prepared before dealing with Mister M-C, hyphenated."

"Definitely," she agreed with a giggle. "Are you ready to do your snagging list?"

"Lead on," I told her.

She grabbed a set of keys from the cabinet behind her desk and we set off down the site. There was a road and a footpath now. Most of the large machinery had gone, and the houses were recognisable for what they were.

"Looks different, doesn't it?" she asked.

My little house was pretty well complete, sitting a little way back from the road at the end of the cul-de-sac.

"I love it already." I almost squealed.

I started down my drive towards the back door.

"When will the fences be installed, Jo?"

"Later this week, but definitely before you move in."

"Great. They will be the concrete posts and kick boards, won't they? And 5 foot panels? I'm thinking of getting a dog and I want the space to be secure."

"Tomorrow at four thirty is fine." A distinctly male voice came from close by.

Walking into my garden space, I saw him; Mister Hyphenated himself, speaking into his mobile phone. He continued to speak while blatantly looking me up and down and not in a very complementary way.

"Until then." He closed his phone and walked past, only acknowledging our existence with a terse nod.

I saw the grimace on Jo's face.

"Is that?" I didn't need any more words.

"Yes, Bella. That's Mister Masen-Cullen, your new neighbour at number 8.

T-C-D

The snagging list was, thankfully, short. There were a couple of door handles needing adjustment and a piece of loose skirting in the kitchen.

Apart from that, the whole place looked amazing. The kitchen was practically my fantasy – I'd have to remember to thank Jasper when I saw him, the limed oak units were gorgeous.

"So, Bella," Jo interrupted my thinking. "How does 10 days from now sound?"

"To get everything finished?" I asked.

"To move in," Jo replied.

"Honestly?" I must have sounded a bit dazed and confused. "You wouldn't tease me about something like this, would you, Jo?"

Jo giggled at my reaction. "I'd never tease about business, Miss Swan. Congratulations!"

"Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt!" I exclaimed. "Got to go. Things to do; places to go; people to see. Thank you, Jo, so much. See you soon."

"I'll email you the final details, Bella."

"Thank you, lovely. That's amazing."

I dashed over to my car, got in, and closed the door, before screaming like a banshee – with excitement, of course.

T-C-D

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. " I couldn't thank Emmett enough for coming over to give me a hand with the sorting out.

As soon as I got back from the new house, I called Em and Rose to tell them the good news and they'd insisted on coming over to help out. Emmett was brilliant, fetching and carrying boxes and casting a ruthless eye over items I might well have kept if I'd been alone.

Rosalie, on the other hand, sat on the sofa allegedly sorting through piles of old photographs we'd found in the loft. Still, she had the perfect excuse – Baby Hale-McCarty was due in less than 2 weeks.

"Bella, why are you wearing a vest under your swimming costume?" She held up a photo of me, aged around 6 years old, arm in arm with the girl who lived next door.

I shook my head, but she wasn't giving up.

"Interesting costume, too. What's it made from? Is it crocheted?" She was smirking.

"Rosalie Hale, it is NOT crocheted. I think it was made from some kind of elasticated nylon."

"Wow, Bella! Who knew you were such a fashionista! But seriously, Swan, elasticated nylon?"

"You are such a snarky snitch, Rose. It's not as if I had any choice in it."

"Bella, be a grown-up – say what you mean. Call me a bitch, I dare you." Rosalie laughed.

"Nope. Not a chance. You know that I don't use bad language. I'd never forgive myself if I slipped up around the children."

"Hmm, I'm not convinced," Rose said. "But anyway, tell me about the vest."

"You're not going to drop it until I tell you, are you?"

"What do you think, Swan?"

I succumbed and caved under pressure.

"Well, you remember I told you I lived with my parents and my mum's mum?"

"Your nanna."

"That's right. Well, it's fair to say that, as an only child, they might have been a little bit over-protective of me."

"And?"

"Well, it was a hot summer, so all the local kids were in swimsuits or shorts. Problem was, my folks didn't want me to catch a cold so I was only allowed to play in my costume if I wore a vest underneath. I suppose they thought they were looking out for me, but they didn't realise it just made me stand out for the wrong reasons."

Rose's face was serious now. "Oh, dear, not good."

"It wasn't. It didn't help that I was a chubby child, and that my surname was Swan. I got a lot of teasing about being an ugly duckling."

I felt 2 large hands wrap around my waist and lift me up. Emmett spun me around at high speed.

"Dizzy. Em. Stop." I shrieked. "Put me down you big oaf." I pushed against his chest, not that it had any effect.

"Well, I had to do something to get you back on task. I saw you slacking, chatting away to Rose. I need help to look through these boxes."

I was grateful for Em's diversion. We worked on for another couple of hours and made significant progress.

"Hey, look at this!" Rose was waving something in the air. "Oh my god, Em, what did you do to your hair?"

It was a photo taken during our first term at college. Emmett's curly hair reached down his neck and over his shoulders.

"I was in my Marley phase, babe. I was trying to grow dreadlocks, but my hair just kept getting longer and curlier."

I giggled. "Do you remember the pipe cleaners, Em?"

"How could I ever forget? Oh, Rosie, I got Swan to twist them into my hair to encourage it to dread up, but they just got more and more tangled."

"So then I had to borrow some clippers and shave it all off."

"My poor Emmy." Rose said, unable to suppress the laughter in her voice. "From 'fro to bald in less than twenty-four hours."

I grabbed the box from Rose's lap and rifled through it.

"Here." I passed Rose another photo of Emmett, this one when he had a closely shaved head. "It was lovely; his head felt like a little coconut."

"Ahhh, so cute." Rosalie let out a massive yawn.

"And that is my cue to get my lady and my baby home," said Em.

I thanked them once again and returned to tidying. I fell into bed, that night, exhausted but satisfied.

I worked hard for the next couple of days, and I was feeling very pleased with my efforts. The loft was empty and the skip was full. There were several large bags and boxes, ready and waiting for the charity shop.

I packed as many boxes as I could into my little car and took them to the Cancer Research Charity shop. I'd just begun to pack in my second load when my phone began to ring. I glanced at the screen – Emmett.

"Hullo, Em."

Emmet sounded different. I began to feel worried.

"Em, what's going on? What's up?"

"Nothing, Bella…well, not nothing – everything." I heard him choke back a sob.

"Emmett, you're scaring me."

"Sorry, Swan, I'm just a bit choked. She's here. I'm a daddy."

 **AN:** _Ahhh, got to love a brand new baby! Wonder what they'll call her?_


	4. Chapter 4

_Welcome to Chapter 4 where we have a new baby, new houses and new neighbours, as well as some silly misunderstandings. Thank you to everyone who has placed this story on alert; I'm really glad you want to read more – hope it doesn't disappoint!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Four**

Emily Rose Hale-McCarty was the most adorable baby I'd ever seen – a perfect little miracle, from the blonde fuzzy hair on her head to the tiny nails on each of her 10 toes.

Rosalie cradled her daughter, an ethereal smile on her face, and Emmett cradled them both, his large arms wrapped gently around mother and child. I couldn't help but sigh when I saw them all together.

"Uh-oh, Swan's feeling broody," Emmett said with a yawn.

"Just hand her over, Daddio," I said. "Aunty B would like to cuddle her honorary niece."

Emily was duly placed into my waiting arms.

"Well, precious girl, hello there. I'm your Aunty B and I'm very pleased to meet you." I stroked her downy head. "You are a very lucky young lady to have a mummy and daddy who love you so much. They've been waiting for you, so they can love you and look after you."

Emily opened her big, dark blue eyes and appeared to be focused on mine.

"You're such a clever girl already. Look at you – watching and listening. Just perfect."

"She really is," agreed Rose, as I handed Emily back to her. "I can't believe she's here."

Rose and I chatted about baby things for a while, before Emily began to whimper.

"Time for another feed," said Emmett. "Can I fetch you anything, Rose?"

"Time for me to be going," I said. "You guys need to focus all your attention on that young lady and I still have lots of jobs to do."

T-C-D

M-Day minus one. The boxes were packed, the furniture was emptied and standing ready to go and I was…cleaning. Oh, how I hated cleaning.

I made myself a cup of tea and sat down with my list.

Utility companies contacted. Check.

Addresses changed. Check.

Phone company coming to disconnect the line. Check.

Phone company booked to install a new line and internet connection at the new house. Check.

New carpets laid. Check.

Removal company booked. Check.

My mind began to drift. By this time tomorrow, I'd be living in my very own house. I was taking on the ultimate responsibility. I could do anything I wanted, decorate anyhow I wanted, begin to think about getting a puppy, and nobody could tell me it was a stupid idea or it wasn't good enough. Well, they could say the words, but it wouldn't matter anymore. I was determined that this would be my fresh start. Nobody, but nobody, could treat me like a child and make me feel small the way he did – my darling daddy. I shuddered at the memories.

Drifting over, I picked up a mop and began to scrub at the kitchen floor – hard! Did I mention I hate cleaning? A couple of hours later I pretty much fell onto my mattress-on-the-floor, exhausted.

Typically, as so often happens when you need sleep, it just wasn't happening - I tossed and turned for ages. I tried listening to my iPod, but even soothing music didn't cut it. I huffed and pulled out my earbuds. I lay on my back and stared at the textured ceiling, noticing a crack I'd not seen before.

 _Ha! Not my problem any longer_ , I thought. _My lovely new home is all smooth ceilings and walls. No more stupid Artex for me._

My mobile phone buzzed. I picked it up, noticing it was almost 3am.

 _Rose: Up feeding Emily. Just wanted to wish you good luck for tomorrow. Hope everything goes really well. We'll be over to visit as soon as you're settled._

Sigh! Thanks, Lovely. Can't sleep. Brain won't switch off.

 _Rose: Aw, too excited?_

Yeah. Maybe. Dunno. Waiting for it all to go belly-up!

 _Rose: Stop that, Swan. Negative thinking will get you nowhere._

I know, Rose. I'm always negative when I'm over-tired.

 _Rose: Well, maybe The Hottie will be moving in tomorrow, too. That's something to look forward to._

Rosalie Hale, stop with the matchmaking. He's probably married with a couple of kids. I can hardly go gawking over the garden fence at him with his kids running around.

 _Rose: Swan, Swan, there you go again, being negative. Trust me, The Hottie is single with a capital 'S'. Oh, and you'd gawk at him, would you? So you agree he's attractive?_

Stop trying to trick me, Rose, of course Jasper is attractive. I may not be interested in men right now, but I do have eyes.

 _Rose: So does he! Big, blue eyes! [Evil grin]_

Not going there, Rosalie. He seemed like a nice guy. Very neighbourly and helpful.

 _Rose: Hmmm. Handy. Maybe even handsy. He looked like the outdoor, rugged, type._

Stop it, Rose.

 _Rose: Come on, Swan, dare to dream. Mmm, having fun with The Hottie. It's about time you lived a little._

Goodnight, Rose.

 _Rose: Don't be a spoilt sport, Bella. I'm having to live vicariously right now._

You enjoy that! You'll get bored very quickly if you're waiting for anything exciting to come from me.

 _Rose: Don't sell yourself short, Miss Swan._

I'm not. I'm just a realist. And it's really time to sleep. Goodnight Rose.

 _Rose: Night, Bella. Emmett and Emily send their love xxx._

I put my phone down and snuggled under my duvet. It seemed like my texting with Rose had done the trick, sleep finally claimed me.

T-C-D

My alarm rang at 7am and I groaned: three hours sleep was not enough, but I was excited and I knew that adrenalin would keep me going.

I got ready and packed up all the necessities I'd left out last night. When the doorbell rang at 8.30am, I was ready to greet the removal men.

By 10.30am, most of my belongings were in a large truck. The precious ones were carefully packed into my car, along with the kettle, some mugs and the essentials for making hot drinks – you can never be too prepared and all workmen are much more biddable when you offer them a hot drink!

I drove to the new house and parked on the drive, anxiously awaiting the call from the site agent to tell me that funds had been transferred and I could collect my keys.

I started awake when I heard a loud tapping noise. I was disorientated for a second or two, before I remembered I was waiting for my new keys. I must have dozed off – so much for adrenalin! My neck felt slightly sore; I must have slept in an awkward position. I turned my head to try and relieve the discomfort and screamed, not in pain, but in shock. Mister Helpful Hottie himself was standing by my car, a mug in his hand.

T - C – D

I gathered my wits, stuck on a smile and wound down my window.

"Well hello there, neighbour." Jasper smiled as he spoke. He held out the mug which, when I looked, appeared to contain tea. "I noticed you sitting out here, waiting, and thought you might appreciate this."

"That's very kind of you." I accepted the mug and tried to surreptitiously check my hair and face in the driver's mirror. _Please don't let me have drool on my face._ I took a sip and felt the effects immediately.

"Mmm, thanks. I didn't realise how much I needed that." I grinned at Jasper. "Are you moving in today, too?"

"No, I collected my keys yesterday. I managed to get everything moved in, but I'm surrounded by a sea of boxes. I got my bed sorted first, thankfully, or I'd have fallen asleep on the floor. This moving house business is so exhausting."

"Tell me about it! I hate all this waiting around. You'd think, for all the money we pay them, solicitors would be able to make sure money was transferred from one bank to another without any drama. Surely, it's just a click on a keyboard?" I was about to have a mini-rant, but stopped myself suddenly.

Jasper was looking at me intently, a slightly odd look on his face.

"Oh my word." I cringed. "Please tell me you're not a solicitor? I have this horrible habit of speaking before I think, sometimes. I'm so embarrassed. Forgive me. I'll just…"

His hand reached in through my window and I found myself with his index finger softly touching my lips. I could feel my skin beginning to flush, my neck and then my cheeks. I was so aware of the feel of his, slightly calloused, skin on my lips that I was at a loss for more words.

"Shh! Breathe, Bella," he said. "No, I'm not a solicitor and, for what it's worth, I'm inclined to agree with you. What is it you do?"

I began, rather shakily, to tell Jasper about school, but was interrupted by my mobile phone.

"Excuse me, I must get this," I told him. "It might be good news."

"I'll get going," he whispered. "Give me a shout later if you need a hand."

I passed him the empty mug and waved a thank you.

"Hello, Bella Swan speaking," I answered the call.

T – C – D

Even after the phone call, it was more than an hour before I finally got my hands on my house keys.

Then began the lengthy process of unloading my life's belongings, neatly packed in cardboard boxes, and finding a place for them in my new home. It was late afternoon before the removal men left.

I stood in the middle of my lounge and looked around at the boxes, interspersed with larger pieces of furniture. How on earth had I collected so much stuff? I'd cleared out and given away lots, and there was still a ridiculous amount left. Where on earth did I begin with this? And this is only the first room.

"Aaaaaahhhhhh!" I shrieked at the top of my voice. It felt good to let go of some of the tension.

"Bella, are you okay? Your door was open and I heard a scream."

"Aaaaaahhhhhh!" I screamed, with genuine reason this time. I looked over at my shocked neighbour. "Jasper, don't sneak up on me like that, you nearly gave me the fright of my life."

My heart was thumping. It had been an eventful day.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." Jasper couldn't apologise enough. "I was taking out the trash for recycling when I heard you scream. I didn't think about why, I just came over as fast as I could."

"And I'm sorry for over-reacting. I was tired and frustrated and I really wasn't thinking; the sight of all those boxes, just staring at me, I don't know where to start, so I just screamed. Release the tension, you know?"

"Tell you what," Jasper said. "I'll help you set up your bed..."

I glared at him and watched as he paled when he realised what he'd suggested, before bursting into a fit of the giggles.

"It's okay, neighbour, I knew what you meant. I think it's a good idea to begin with the essentials and go on from there."

Jasper recovered himself, cleared his throat and made a suggestion. "Why don't we start again?" He stuck out a hand. "Hello there, I'm Jasper Whitlock, your new neighbour at number 6. Welcome to the neighbourhood."

I shook the proffered hand.

"Hello, Jasper. My name is Isabella Swan, but my friends call me Bella. I'm very happy to be here."

We both grinned.

"I only moved in yesterday," Jasper went on. "I've been trying to make sense of unpacking my belongings all day. I suddenly realised I haven't eaten and was about to order a pizza. Would you care to join me?"

"I'd be delighted, Jasper. I've not stopped for food, either."

So, I spent the first evening in my new home, sitting on my PVC covered sofa, sharing pizza with my neighbour - my rather good-looking, rather charming neighbour.

Rosalie was going to have a field day when she found out!


	5. Chapter 5

_Welcome to Chapter Five – happy to have you here. Big, big thanks reviewers – I'm glad you're enjoying so far – and to the new readers who've favourite this story. I realise this tale is slow-moving, but I'm trying to keep it relatively real…any romantic action will develop later on. For now, there are people to meet, places to go and things to do…_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Five**

I woke up in unfamiliar surroundings. _Where on earth am I?_ It took several moments to realise that I was, in fact, in my own bed, and that it was located in the master bedroom of my new home.

I stretched and yawned, luxuriating in the feel of crisp bedding and soft pillows. My muscles felt sore, but it was a good ache. It had been ages since I'd felt this satisfied.

Jasper and I had spent an hour or so chatting, eating pizza and talking about our respective new homes. It had been light-hearted and fun, and a welcome break from the stresses of moving. He'd helped me set up my bed, as promised, before leaving to go and unpack a few more boxes of his own.

I made a start in the bathroom, figuring it would be easy to get organised in a fairly short time. Before I knew it, it was midnight and I was so tired I could barely function. I showered and settled down to a dreamless sleep.

But now I was awake and ready to begin my new adventure.

I was very glad that I'd kept the kettle and some mugs handy; I might be ready to get started, but not before I'd had a cup of tea. I knew I'd need to be methodical if I was going to make any kind of impact on the endless pile of boxes.

My nana's kitchen table and chairs stood in the dining area, their old wood looking perfect in the setting. It was surrounded by boxes marked 'kitchen'. I searched for a moment until I found the one labelled 'cleaning stuff' and began pulling at the tape, thinking I'd wipe everything down before it was put away. I filled the sink with hot water, grateful that I'd remembered to set the thermostat before bed, added some detergent and I was ready to go.

I completely lost track of time and it was only when my mobile phone rang that I stopped. Having confirmed an appointment for an engineer to come and install phone link and internet, I realised I was hungry. Still, I'd managed to unpack crockery, cutlery and glassware and some fridge and pantry essentials, so I could rustle up a sandwich.

Hunger satisfied, I returned to the boxes and by mid-afternoon the kitchen was pretty much done and I moved on to my living room.

I plonked down on the sofa and looked around. I wanted the whole house to be homely and comfortable and not follow some kind of fashion fad. My beautiful, dark purple sofas were relatively new, and very comfortable, so they were going to be the basis of my plan. I'd had some thoughts about display and storage space, so maybe a road trip to Ikea was in order. Meanwhile, I simply experimented with the items I already had. Basic set-up done, I moved the 2 or 3 remaining boxes into the garage, so at least I had somewhere decent to sit.

A knock on my door brought welcome relief from trying to untangle all the wires and cables of my TV and DVD player. I expected to find Jasper on the doorstep, but was surprised to discover Emmett, with a large pot plant in his hands.

"Well, hello, daddio – what are you doing here?"

"Nice welcome, Swan, as usual. I've come to bring you a house-warming present – here!" He thrust the plant into my hands.

"Thanks, Em. How are the girls doing?"

"They're having a bit of a snuggle before bedtime, and I was getting on Rosie's nerves. I think I might've been trying a bit too hard."

I giggled. "Too hard, how?"

"Well, remember how I promised to be a hands-on dad?"

"Uh-huh."

"Rose actually had the nerve to complain that she hadn't had chance to change a nappy, yet. I mean, that's just a shitty job – pun intended – so I thought I'd get points for doing them. Oh, and she said that if I took another photo of Emily-Rose having lunch at mummy's milk bar, she'd shove my long lens where the sun don't shine. I just don't get it! I thought the mood swings stopped after the woman gave birth…" He paused. "Swan, why are you crying?"

Tears were streaming down my cheeks and I was, literally, shaking with silent laughter.

"Oh, Emmett," I choked out. I went over to him and gave him a hug. "You've been so busy being a terrific dad that you've not given poor Rose chance to learn to be a mum."

He looked rather crestfallen.

"I just want to help while I can, you know, be supportive and take care of my girls."

"Which is absolutely fantastic, Em, and I know it's really appreciated. But maybe, you could ask Rose before you automatically do everything for Emily?"

"I was trying not to bother her; she's just done the most amazing thing. I mean, the whole childbirth thing; it's not called labour for nothing."

"She has, and she may be feeling a bit tired and sore, but she's also elated at being a mum. She needs to do stuff, too."

"I was just so excited…"

"As you should be, but why not make a bit of a fuss of your lovely wife and let her get used to this parenting thing?"

"I can do that, but I want to help out with Emily, too."

"Of course you do, and you should. Babies are hard work; you'll both need to take care of her. Emily needs her mummy _and_ her daddy. Just be sure to talk to one another, then nobody ends up getting upset. You and Rose will work it out."

"Aw, Belly-button, when did you get so wise?"

"Emmett Michael McCarty," I shrieked. "Don't you ever, ever, EVER call me that name again." I punctuated each word with a prod in his midriff.

"Ouch, stop it, Swan."

"Be a man, McCarty. Are you staying for a cuppa?"

"Thanks, but I'd better be getting back to my girls. I'm going to stop off at the shop and buy some flowers for my Rosie." He grinned, widely.

"Try chocolate, Em, much better to keep the energy up at 3am when Little Miss demands a feed."

"Really? But what about baby-weight? She might kill me."

"Trust Aunty B, Em. Right now, the weight can wait. Hehehe, I'm a poet."

"Okay, Belly-welly, on your head be it."

"Out!" I yelled, giving him a shove towards the door. "Out! Out! Out!"

I pushed him out of the door and down the path towards his car. Of course, I could only do that because he was cooperating and laughing like a drain.

"See 'ya, Belly-welly. Love you."

"You too, you big oaf."

Em got into his car and pulled away. It was only then that I spotted Jasper on his drive. I waved.

"Night, neighbour."

"Goodnight, Bella," he replied. If I didn't know any better, I'd have said he sounded sad.

T – C – D

Waking up on day 2 reminded me of a job that needed urgent attention. It was a gloriously sunny morning and I sighed with happiness as I sat up and looked out of the window, seeing nothing but trees and fields.

I got up, used the loo and then picked up my mobile phone. I had to check twice before I believed it – 4.45am; I'd got up at 4.45am and it wasn't even a school day! I needed blinds or curtains or something, at least at my bedroom window. Instantly I made up my mind, today would be a shopping day and boxes could wait; I felt as if I'd been packing and unpacking forever so this could definitely be classed as retail therapy. _I may even treat myself to lunch._

I sat in my kitchen-diner with a bowl of cereal, a cup of tea and my trusty notepad and pen.

 _Hmm, window dressings. I'm very glad that I'm not overlooked here, I really hate net curtains. Growing up, all our neighbours had them and you could see them twitching as they kept tabs on everything happening in the street. I could go for some kind of blinds, maybe? Maybe in the kitchen and the bathroom, but I quite fancy something a bit more luxurious in the living room and bedrooms, oh, and the bedroom ones need to be a decent weight to block out the early morning sunshine, most aggravating but I need my sleep, and keep the heat in on cold days. I know my house is energy efficient, but I've got to do my bit. But what colours and styles?_

I continued to ponder as I finished my breakfast and rinsed the used crockery before putting it into the dishwasher. I'd decided that the best course of action was to take measurements of my windows then trawl the shops to see what was out there. I had an idea about the colour schemes I wanted eventually, but I was willing to have my mind changed if I saw something I loved.

I'd noted the size of my windows, showered and changed into something summery and pretty, and it was still stupidly early for shopping – the shops wouldn't even be open yet. I mooched around for a while. I put the radio on and danced to a couple of tunes. I sighed. As someone who could be a massive couch potato, I just couldn't settle. I definitely needed to get out.

At 8.30am on the dot, I grabbed my jacket – just in case – and locked my front door. As I stepped towards my car, I stopped and looked up at my new home and grinned. My own place. Happy couldn't do justice to how I was feeling.

"Ahem." A voice cleared behind me.

I turned to see Mister MC Hyphenated, suited and booted, standing on the drive next door.

"Can I help you?" I asked, using my best teacher voice.

"Have you seen Joanna Weston this morning?"

Not a please, not a smile, not even a polite request, just a bark of a question. I was about to give him a lecture about being rude when Jo's car came puttering into the Cul-de-Sac.

"I'm so sorry, Mister Masen-Cullen," she called breathlessly as she exited her vehicle. "Car problems."

"Let's get on with it, then," he growled. "I don't have all day."

He set off towards the front door. Jo looked across at me, her eyebrows raised, hands upturned.

I mouthed the word 'rude' and Jo tried to supress a giggle.

"Well?" Mister MC-H was standing by his front door.

Jo scuttled over and used selected a key from the large bunch on her ring. Her client was tapping his foot and looking at his expensive watch.

 _What a muppet_ , I thought, before getting into my car and reversing carefully off my drive. I was glad he hadn't parked his Mercedes on the road – _heaven forbid I'd ever scratch his paintwork._

The thought made me grin as I drove towards the city.

T – C – D

I wasn't grinning 5 hours later. I'd dragged around so many home furnishing departments I was footsore and weary.

Still, I'd got some rather gorgeous bedroom curtains and some for the lounge, along with all the other bits and bobs I'd need to be able to hang them. It was a bit of a brute trying to get curtain poles, even the telescopic type, into my small car. Time for tea and cake.

I found a little independent café with a few tables outside, placed my order and waited, enjoying the afternoon sunshine. The coffee cake was delicious and I was savouring each mouthful when a shadow fell over me, blocking my light.

I looked up, squinting at the figure in front of me. The strong light behind him created a halo effect and it took me several seconds to realise who it was. Dressed in suit trousers, tie slightly loosened and top shirt button undone, Mister MC-H was catching flies, his mouth wide open, in front of me.

It seemed like ages, but was probably only a couple of seconds, before he gestured randomly and walked away. I thought I heard a muttered 'sorry' but I really couldn't be sure; in fact I wasn't even sure that word was in his vocabulary.

Jo was right, though. Seeing him a little less buttoned-up, you could see he was a good looking guy and not as ancient as I'd first thought. Shame his personality needed a transplant.


	6. Chapter 6

_Welcome to Chapter Six – I'm pretty much finished with editing and updating and rather than keep everyone waiting, I'm planning to upload the rest of this story in blocks! I hope that meets with your approval :) I will apologise to anyone who has placed this story on alert ... you may get a whole lot of emails until I'm finished. I hope that the accelerated appearance of the story will make up for it!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Six**

Several days later, I was faffing about in the kitchen when I heard the roar of a heavy vehicle; I stepped out onto my garden path to see a large removal van parking next door, so it didn't take a genius to work out that the hyphenated Mister MC was moving in today. I ducked back inside before anyone noticed me there; I wasn't in the mood for another of his rude displays.

I looked around and decided that today would be a cooking day. I'd make some extra bits and pieces to take over to Rosalie and Emmett to put in their freezer. Having a new baby in the household might be a blessing, but I suspected that neither one of them would have much energy left for cooking nutritious meals.

I switched on my new oven, wrinkling my nose as it heated up and sent out that strange not-quite-burning smell. It was another lovely summer day so I opened up my beautiful folding doors out to the garden.

I pulled out a couple of my favourite recipe books and began to leaf through them, using sticky notes to mark the dishes I thought I might make. I often cooked and baked in batches during the school holidays and filled up my freezer; it was so useful to have things to heat up when I was snowed under with planning and marking students' work.

I tried to be methodical and begin with some basics. I pulled out a couple of bags of onions and set to, peeling, slicing and dicing. I was sniffling loudly and had tears running down my cheeks when I heard a sound outside.

"Knock, knock," said Jasper, poking his head through my open door. "Anybody home?"

"Hi, Jasper, come on in," I cried.

"Oh my gosh! Bella, are you okay? I've done it again, haven't I? Interrupted a moment?"

I washed my hands and then grabbed a piece of kitchen towel to wipe my running eyes. I turned to face Jasper, pointing towards the large pile of sliced onion.

"Nothing to worry about here, neighbour. It's just me and a whole pile of onions. I'm having a cooking day." I smiled. It was nice to know that at least one of my neighbours appeared to be the caring type.

"Thanks goodness for that," Jasper replied. "I thought your boyfriend must have upset you."

I shook my head. "Boyfriend?"

"Yeah, the big bloke who was here a few evenings ago."

 _Do I come clean, or do I take the opportunity to tease a little? Hmm, okay Jasper Whitlock, let's see what you're made of."_

"Ohhh, you mean Emmett. He's not my boyfriend; he's my _man_ friend if you know what I mean."

I deliberately winked at Jasper and waited to see his reaction. I swear he went a little pink. Poor man.

"Um, oh, yeah…of course. I…erm…didn't mean to pry. If you want to have friends with benefits, who am I to judge?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there, Mister, don't get too carried away. You're jumping to the wrong conclusion. Emmett, that's the name of my _man_ friend, is one of my best friends and he is happily engaged to another friend of mine. They've just had their first child together."

"But you said…"

"I know what I said and I owe you an apology. I was telling the truth, Em is a man and a friend, but I suppose I was teasing a bit with how I said it."

"That was cruel, Miss Bella, cruel," said Jasper, his face now completely red.

"I'm sorry, Jasper. I'm told I have a slightly strange and warped sense of humour. Sit down and I'll put the kettle on."

"It won't fit you." He deadpanned.

I giggled. "We're pretty good at this whole misunderstanding thing, aren't we?"

"Hell, yeah. I'm not usually so clumsy with words."

"Nor me. Tea or coffee?"

T – C – D

Jasper pulled up a chair to the end of the work surface and kept me company as I cooked. I was actually really pleased; I loved the school holidays, but I did miss having lots of people around.

I made a large pot of beef ragu sauce, portioning it into freezer safe boxes and setting it aside to cool properly.

"Smells good," Jasper said.

I opened the cutlery drawer and grabbed a spoon, loading it with ragu.

"Here, have a taste. See what you think."

I really wasn't prepared for what happened next. The noise that came out of Jasper's mouth was positively sinful. His voice dropped an octave and seemed to reverberate through the kitchen.

"Mmmmmmmmmmm."

I looked at his face. His eyes were closed and I noticed he had really long lashes; his skin was pretty good, too. He opened his eyes and I tried not to make it obvious that I'd been watching him closely.

"It's okay then?" I asked.

"Better than okay," he said with a smile. "Totally delicious, Miss Bella. You might have to give me the recipe."

"You cook?"

"Not very well." He frowned. "But I'm willing to give it a go."

"When you say 'not very well', just how well do you mean?" Something was fishy here, so I thought I'd investigate a bit.

"I can cook a great Spanish Omelette." He began. "Cheese on toast, baked beans, cereal…"

His voice trailed off.

"Perhaps you exaggerated a little bit?" I suggested.

"There's nothing wrong in trying to impress a pretty lady," he admitted.

Now it was my turn to blush.

T – C – D

It appeared that Jasper was at a bit of a loose end, so he hung around while I carried on cooking. I even put him to work chopping vegetables to go into a curry, while I set to, putting together a Shepherd's Pie.

The last time we'd been together, our conversation centred on our respective houses. This time was different.

"When do you go back to work, Jasper?" It seemed like a good place to start. "Sorry, I'm assuming you do work?"

"Indeed I do, Miss Bella. I'm a Lecturer in Environmental Science at the University, so we get a long summer break. I've got some prep to do, adding elements to courses and so on, but I don't start back until September. How about you?"

"Seems we have something in common. I'm a schoolteacher."

"Great. What do you teach?"

"Children."

Jasper sighed and rolled his eyes. "You know, full well, what I meant…which subject do you teach?"

I grinned before replying. "I'm a Primary School Teacher, means I have to teach about 10 different subjects, but I have responsibility for developing English and Literacy across the board."

"So you're on summer break, too? Of course you are - stupid question. Are you planning a vacation?"

"Sadly not." I waved my hand around. "This place is my priority this year. It's expensive, moving house."

"Sure is, but needs must."

"You had to move?" I inquired.

"Yeah," he said. "Awkward break-up. We'd lived together for almost 10 years before we finally decided we wanted different things. She got the house – seemed the decent thing to do."

"I'm so sorry. I'd never have asked if I'd known." I was curious, but I certainly wouldn't want to cause offense by being insensitive.

"Don't worry about it," Jasper replied. "Totally a mutual decision. We're both academics and Maria was deeply into research, still is as a matter of fact. I hoped that we'd get married, have kids one day, you know, but those things just weren't on Maria's agenda. I suppose we should have communicated better."

"It always comes back to communication." I thought back to my very limited experience of relationships.

"That sounds like someone speaking from experience."

"Oh, it was a long time ago now, but Jacob conveniently forgot to tell me he had a pregnant wife at home _." I don't know why I'm telling him this._

"Ouch," said Jasper. "That's enough to put anyone off for a while."

I just nodded my head.

"So, you and Emmett never…" His voice trailed off.

"Oh my word, no, never ever! He's a brilliant friend, but he's more a big brother than a lover – Oops! There I go again, rhyming."

Jasper smiled and I noticed his eyes were twinkling. "You're not a man hater, then?"

"Not at all, most of you are okay I suppose." I winked at him. "I don't need a man to prove a point to anyone. I'm generally positive and upbeat. I have a career I love and I'm financially okay. I've some good friends close by and a new, honorary niece to spoil. Life is good."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realised I'd given him the standard 'I'm fine' spiel and wondered if he'd found it off-putting. It was something I trotted out every time anyone asked why, at almost thirty, I wasn't married with kids.

"Are you happy, Bella?" Jasper asked.

"Absolutely," I replied without skipping a beat, but somewhere in the back of my mind a little voice was saying ' _liar, liar, pants on fire_.' I pushed the words away, not ready to get into some kind of weird psychological analysis with my new neighbour. It was far better he saw me as happily single.

"Right," I said decisively. "I think that's plenty of ready-meals. How do you feel about baking?"

"Can't say I've ever tried it; I tend to look for a good local bakery." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, watch and learn, Jasper, watch and learn. And if you're a good boy I'll even let you lick the bowl."

"An offer I can't refuse." Jasper agreed, licking his lips. It's been years since I used to fight my brother for the spoon when mum was baking cakes."

"You've got a brother?"

"Yep, he's just over a year older than me. We're very different people. We don't get on."

"That's a shame," I said. "I'm an only; desperately wanted a sibling when I was younger, but it never happened. It must be nice to have someone to fight with."

I laughed.

"I wouldn't know," Jasper replied. "We've not spoken for almost 3 years."

I wanted to know why that was, but felt really awkward asking. They must have had some bust-up to stop them talking for that long. I decided that now wasn't the time and, if he really wanted to, he'd tell me when he was ready.

The next couple of hours zoomed by as I continued baking and Jasper continued keeping me company. When the final cake – some flapjack – was out of the oven, I asked Jasper if he'd like to stay for some late lunch.

"Tell you what," he suggested. "As you've been slaving over a hot stove all morning, why don't I take you out to lunch?"

"That's really kind," I said. "But you don't have to. I've probably bored you to death with all my rambling."

"Don't be silly. I really enjoy your company and it'll do us both good to get out for a while. I need to call in to the supermarket anyway. I've run out of beers."

"And that would never do." I laughed.

"Precisely," he replied. "You lock up here and I'll go and grab my car keys. I'll meet you outside in 5."

"Perfect."

T – C – D

By the time I'd organised thing and tidied myself up, 10 minutes had passed. As good as his word, Jasper was already seated in his car, waiting patiently.

"Sorry," I said as I climbed in. "I took a few minutes longer than I thought."

"No problem," he said. "Top up or top down?"

"Down, please, as it's such a gorgeous day. I'd no idea these cars came with a soft top. What model is it?"

"It's a Smart Cabrio; best eco-friendly convertible on the market."

"It's very quiet," I noted, as we pulled off his drive.

"That's because she runs on electricity, most of which is generated by the solar panels on my roof."

"I'm impressed, Jasper. You really know your stuff."

"Well, I feel it's my duty to set a positive example, you know; practise what I preach."

I was just about to reply, when the squeal of tyres distracted me. A large, black Mercedes had swung rapidly into the Cul-de-Sac. I knew without looking who the driver would be. Him. Mister Hyphenated himself – arrogant arse.

"Damn!" muttered Jasper as the car almost drew level.

I looked up, right into the face of Mister Edward Masen-Cullen. He looked furious. If looks could have killed, I'd be a pile of dust on the floor of Jasper's car. I knew he was rude. I knew he was arrogant. What I couldn't figure out was why he hated me so much.

 _A/N: Thought you might like a little bit of background here._

 _Bella is 29, almost 30_

 _Jasper is 32 and Edward is almost 34_

 _Things are starting to warm up a little now – but don't get too excited, the pace is still gentle!_

 _I think Edward might have a little more to day next chapter ;)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Welcome to Chapter Seven – I'm totally overwhelmed by the rush of support for Bella and her new neighbours. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading! So, here's Edward moving in and, for some reason, he's in the mood for reminiscing…I thought you might like to know a little bit more about him, so I've allowed him to ramble on._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Seven**

 **EPOV**

"Damn! Shit! Bother! Bugger! Crap! Fuck! What is my idiot sibling doing here and how does he know my new next door neighbour?" I spoke aloud into the silence.

I put the Merc in park and slammed my hands against the leather-covered steering wheel. _Of all the cul-de-sacs, in all the towns, in all the world…fuck! I'm so pissed off I'm bastardising quotes from Casablanca. I need to get a grip._

I sat up and practised my breathing exercises; inhale through the nose, hold for a silent count of 10, exhale slowly through the mouth. I did this several times until I felt calmer. _Good, I'm back in control._

I strode down the path and into my new home, _damn I love this place_ , looking around at the piles of boxes, neatly labelled and placed in the correct rooms. I wandered into the kitchen, which looked pristine, tidy and well organised. _Excellent, worth paying for the packing and unpacking service._ I heard a voice clearing behind me.

"Excuse me, Mister Cullen…"

"Masen-Cullen," I barked back.

"Sorry, Mister _Masen_ -Cullen." I looked over at the uniformed man standing by the door.

I didn't miss the forced inflection on the Masen part, but chose to ignore it this time. I really didn't want to upset the removal team; I wanted them to finish the job before they walked away.

"What is it?" I asked. "Is everything going okay?"

"Absolutely, sir. Everything is tickety-boo. All the furniture is in, along with the boxes. As you've seen, the kitchen is set up and ready to go, as is the master suite. The packers will return in the morning to complete the other rooms."

"Thank you." I knew I sounded rather formal and a bit stiff, but I wouldn't let the façade drop in front of anyone but my nearest and dearest.

"Is 8.30am tomorrow okay?" He asked.

"That would be fine," I replied. "Make sure they're on time; I have my interior designer coming over later in the day and I'd like her to see everything in place." _I didn't need to tell him that the designer in question is my mother._

"Absolutely, Mister Masen-Cullen. See you tomorrow." He gave a cheery wave as he left.

I found it hard not to be disgusted by the over-familiar gesture.

I was in a thoughtful mood as I walked into the large lounge area. It was dual aspect, with huge bi-fold doors which led out onto a large terrace – or it would be, once mum had worked her magic.

I sat down in one of the black leather recliners and closed my eyes.

 _I've made it! Security, comfort and nice things. My mind wandered back over twenty years to a story I recalled very well._

 _A large council estate with roads and roads of lookalike houses. Everyone rented; owning a house was for posh people. Mum kept our house neat as a new pin and dad worked hard to make sure he had everything we needed – needed but not necessarily wanted. Two little boys were playing in the street with the other kids who lived nearby. We were kicking a ball around. Jas was in goal and Murph, Fordy and I were trying to get the ball past him. It was a day just like any other. I didn't realise the significance of that day until many years later. A decision was about to be made that would affect the rest of my life._

 _Mum called us in for tea just as dad arrived home and we sat down at the table, as we did every night. I noticed an official looking brown envelope in dad's space, but I didn't think too much about it. Dad was working during the day, but doing what he called 'night school' at home. He hadn't had chance to carry on with his education, as his family needed him to work as soon as he reached school leaving age. Both he and mum made sure that Jasper and I knew how important a good education could be, and encouraged us with work at school and at home._

 _I remember the look on dad's face as he passed the letter, now open, to mum. Then they both turned to me and told me how proud they were. I'd done what I'd believed were end of year tests at school, but it transpired they were much more. My results were very good – excellent in fact – and I'd been offered a place, on full scholarship, to an independent school about 10 miles away. Mum and dad were so proud they were practically glowing, as they asked how I felt about it. I wasn't sure if I really knew how I felt; it was all a bit of a shock, but there was no way I'd disappoint my parents, so I told them I was thrilled._

 _Before I knew it, September had arrived and I was on the school bus in my new uniform. I was nervous and a bit sad; my closest friends were starting at the local high school and it felt very odd not to be walking to school with them._

 _It was a whole new world, getting used to moving from room to room, new and different teachers and a whole lot of unfamiliar subjects to tackle._

 _Academically, I excelled, but socially I felt shy and awkward. It became apparent, almost immediately, that most of the students in the school were there because their family was wealthy. There were only a few of us who didn't come from a similarly privileged background and we stood out for all kinds of reasons. I got teased about my accent and my spectacles, which were not the latest designer frames._

 _My greatest embarrassment was the day that Marcus Foster-Smythe asked my friend, Henry Amos, why he bothered to hang around with me; didn't he know I lived in a council house?_

 _The comment bothered me for days until mum asked me what was wrong. I explained that I really wanted to study speech and drama so I could express myself better, but there was an additional fee attached and I didn't want to put her and dad to any trouble. It was only a half-lie, but I didn't want mum to feel humiliated about our circumstances._

 _Bless my parents, they made sure I was signed up for the classes and they never once complained about the cost. Over time my accent changed and I felt like I fitted in more._

 _Of course, there was a downside. The more I grew to be like my schoolmates, the less I had in common with the kids at home. I had mountains of homework most evenings, so when they called for me and Jas to play outside I mostly had to refuse._

 _When I did go out to play, they'd tease me and call me 'Snobby Eddy.' Jasper always stuck up for me, but he was caught in the middle as, by then, he'd moved up to High School._

 _I put most of my energies into studying; encouraged by my family to make the most of the very special opportunity I'd been afforded._

 _It did pay off; I got excellent grades in all my exams and was offered the chance to sit the Oxbridge Entrance._

 _My time at Cambridge was not what I expected at all. Once again, I'd found myself in a very rarefied atmosphere, surrounded by lots of people keeping up appearances. I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. I adopted my middle name, Masen (from my mother's mother) and hyphenated it with my surname. I took on a part-time job to earn some extra cash and got my optician to prescribe contact lenses._

 _I worked extra hard and graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Economics from St. John's College and a penchant for the finer things in life._

 _It's true what they say about the 'old school tie' opening doors. I went straight from University to a large company where I continued to train in accountancy._

 _Six months ago, I was made Company Accountant, given a very nice office and a substantial pay rise which spurred me on to buy this place._

My mobile phone rang, bringing me back to earth with a thump.

"Masen-Cullen," I answered.

"Edward. How are you, my lovely boy? How's the new house? I'm dying to come over and see it."

I relaxed. "Hi, mum. Good. Great. Good."

"Don't you get lippy with me, Edward Cullen. You're not too big for a clip around the ear." I could hear the laughter in her voice.

"It's great, mum. Nice to be moving in at last. I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. I hope you've got lots of ideas."

"I've got several schemes for you to look at," she said.

"Great. I'm looking forward to getting things organised."

"You've worked hard for everything, Edward. You deserve your success."

"I learned from the best." Dad had continued studying and now had his own successful accountancy business and, once Jasper and I were a bit more independent, mum had taken a part time job working for an interior designer. She loved it so much that she'd taken a couple of courses. She decided to branch out, beginning in a small way, but as her clients recognised her talents the demand for her services grew. These days she has a very healthy client list and can afford to pick and choose the jobs she handles.

Once she'd rung off, I decided to make myself some food.

My new, state of the art, American fridge-freezer stood silently among the run of units. I opened the door and reached in to grab the bag of stir fry vegetables I'd placed there earlier, along with a jar of stir-fry sauce. Of course, my preference is always to make things from scratch, but sometimes I have to give in to pressures of work and time. I grabbed a handful of prawns from the freezer and placed all my ingredients on the work surface.

Ten minutes in my Greenpan open wok and I had a delicious tasty supper, which I ate sitting at the kitchen table.

I knew I ought to get on with some work, but my internet wasn't going to be installed until next week. Even I couldn't make that happen any quicker. I decided to unpack one of the boxes marked personal.

As I ripped the tape and pulled back the flaps I began to think my day was fated because there, staring up at me was a smiling photograph of Jasper and I, taken just a few years ago after he'd graduated from University. Mum always says this is one of her favourites.

 _We used to get along so well._

I smiled as I looked down at Jasper in his cap and gown, collar-length blonde hair and unshaven face giving him a slightly hippie look. His blue eyes twinkled as he looked towards mum who was obviously taking the photo.

I was grinning too, my right arm wrapped proudly around my little brother's shoulder.

 _Oh, little brother, I miss having you around. Everything used to be so good between us…until it all went wrong._

 **A/N:** The part about Edward gaining a scholarship happened to me and, yes, my best friend was asked why she bothered with me because I came from a council house (homes rented to people by local government). Happily, she ignored the other girl and we're still in touch today!


	8. Chapter 8

_Welcome to Chapter Eight – I'm so delighted by the response to this tale, so, however you got here, thank you for reading._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Eight**

Jasper knew a little vegetarian bistro just outside the city, overlooking a village green.

"This is so sweet," I exclaimed as we were led to an empty table by the window. "How did you come across it?"

"One of my students," he explained. "They usually know all the best places."

"My students are a little bit young for that. They'd probably point me to the nearest McDonald's or Pizza Hut."

"I like pizza," Jasper said. "Sometimes the simple things are all we need."

"True." I perused the menu. "It all looks good. I think I'm going to choose the chickpea and mushroom korma."

"Good choice. I'm having the spicy bean burrito; I heard it's really tasty. Do you like beer? The organic ones here go really well with spicy food."

I asked Jasper what he was having.

"Well, as I'm driving, I'm going to go for elderflower cordial with sparkling mineral water," he replied.

"Then I'll keep you company. Besides, it's a little early in the day for alcohol; I've still got some jobs to do when we get home and I don't want to fall asleep."

Jasper laughed. It was a deep, gentle sound and I smiled as I heard it.

We ordered our food and drinks before resuming conversation.

"You have a very pretty smile, Miss Bella," Jasper commented. "Your face really lights up."

I managed to overcome my embarrassment just about enough to reply.

"Thank you," I said, trying to accept the compliment graciously and not respond with a sarcastic comment.

"By the way, Jasper, is that a hint of an American accent I hear?"

He grinned at me. "Might be."

"Oh, you're such a man of mystery, Jasper Whitlock," I retorted. "Maybe even an international man of mystery?"

"Yeah, baby, yeah! Allow me to introduce myself…"

"Myself." We said in unison, then cracked up giggling.

We were still laughing and trading Austin Power quotes when the waitress brought the meal.

"Thanks," I said, as she set down my plate. "Smells delicious."

"It's time to swing, baby," said Jasper, picking up his cutlery.

"Eat, Jasper, eat. There'll be no swinging at this table."

"But maybe later?" He inquired with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"You're incorrigible," I said. "Now stop messing about and let's eat. I'd prefer not to choke on my curry because I'm laughing so much."

I watched as Jasper gathered some food onto his fork. He looked at it with great concentration.

"I won't bite…hard." He addressed his burrito, gnashing his teeth before taking a mouthful.

I gave Jasper a gentle kick under the table. "Schtop it." Talking with a mouthful of food really isn't the best thing.

"That really hurt! I'm gonna have a lump there, you idiot! Who throws a shoe? Honestly! You fight like a woman!"

"In case you hadn't noticed, _Austin_ , I _am_ a woman!" I laughed. "And I didn't throw a shoe; I just kicked you with one."

He stopped laughing and fixed me with a very serious look.

"Oh, Bella." His voice was almost a whisper. "I most certainly _have_ noticed you're a woman."

I was in a real tizzy – flustered didn't begin to describe how I was feeling. I picked up my glass and took a long, hard drink. Jasper clearly noticed and decided to give me a break.

"So, you asked about the accent?"

"I did."

"Well, after Uni, I went to work with the University of Texas in their Department of Geological Sciences; they were doing a project studying the alluvial aquifer of the Colorado River. Most of the people working there were native Texans and I absorbed the accent pretty quickly. Plus, it was polite to address the ladies as ma'am or miss. I guess I just continued to do that when I came back home."

"How long were you out there?" I was calm enough now to speak without blushing.

"A little over 5 years."

"I thought you said you were with M… your girlfriend for 10 years?"

"That's right; it was her idea to go out to The States, not that it was a difficult decision for her, she was simply going home. She's a born and bred Southern gal."

"But she came back to the UK?"

"Oh, yes. She wanted to continue her research here."

"Sounds like a lady who knows her own mind?"

"Most certainly. But it's a quality I find very attractive." He looked at me from beneath his obscenely long lashes. _Is he flirting? Surely not._

"I'm a laid-back guy. Maria's intensity didn't faze me; I reckoned that, sooner or later, we'd get our ducks in a row, get married and have a family."

"It must have been quite a shock then, when you discovered she didn't want the same thing?"

"Sort of…I suppose I'd been kidding myself for ages. I'd let things ride. Neither one of us was putting a lot of effort into the relationship. I think I'm kind of relieved that we hadn't had children; it would have been awful if there'd been children involved."

"That's one of the things I love about my job; I get to borrow twenty-five or more children every day for a whole school year, then send them home and now I've got my honorary niece to spoil."

"Don't you want children, Bella?" Jasper asked.

"I'd love them, one day. But, I need to meet my Mister Right first. It's just going to have to wait."

I had a really nice time with Jasper; the food, and the company, was excellent. We drove back in comfortable silence.

"Thanks for a lovely time, Jasper." I told him. "It was a great idea of yours to go out to eat. As much as I love my new home, there's still a lot to do and it was nice to have a break."

"Any time, Miss Bella, any time. I had fun, too."

T – C –D

Back in my kitchen, the food I'd cooked was mostly cool enough to portion up so that was what I did. I set aside a couple of decent meals-worth to drop off for Em and Rose.

Once I'd thoroughly cleaned down, I decided to do some baking. I liked to have a couple of cakes set aside, just in case of company; besides, after a bad day at work, few things hit the spot like a nice cup of tea and a piece of cake. Cake, especially chocolate cake, could cure most ills!

Once I got started I couldn't stop. I baked a fruit cake, some flapjack, 2 chocolate cakes and 2 lots of cupcakes.

I iced the chocolate cakes and put one of them with the food for Em. The fruit cake was wrapped and stored in an airtight tin, as was the flapjack. I decided to take a couple of pieces round to Jasper to thank him for his kindness at lunch. I was pretty pleased with my cupcakes, so I added a few of them to the plate.

In a moment's weakness – or possibly foolishness – I decided to pop a few cupcakes into a bag and drop them off at number 8. Maybe something sweet would wipe the sour expression off the face of Mr Masen-Cullen _Hyphenated_. I found a small notecard and wrote _welcome to the neighbourhood, kind regards, Bella Swan, number 7._

There was no car on the drive, so I popped them in the porch and then continued on my way round to Jaspers.

"Twice in one day," he said as he opened the door. "Aren't I the lucky one?"

"You are if you like cake," I told him. "I just wanted to say thanks for a lovely lunch."

"Cupcakes, wow!" He looked on the plate. "And flapjack, too. I think I need to put the kettle on."

"It won't fit you." I smirked.

"Can I make one for you?" Jasper offered.

"Thanks all the same, but I need to get back and finish off what I was doing."

"Sure." I'm sure he sounded a bit dejected. "Perhaps see you tomorrow?"

"I'll be in and out. I'm going over to spend some time with my beautiful Emily Rose."

"Your honorary niece?"

"Yep. I can barely wait for another cuddle with her. I must take my camera, she's such a cutie."

"Small babies grow so quickly."

"They certainly do. Well, best get on. See you soon."

Jasper said goodbye and closed his door. I was strolling back to mine, thinking of the cute little munchkin I'd be seeing tomorrow when the clearing of a throat interrupted my contemplations.

"Miss Swan?"

I looked up into the, rather attractive, green eyes of Mister Masen-Cullen Hyphenated himself.

"I…um…just wanted to say thank you very much for the cakes; it's really very kind of you, but quite unnecessary."

I could feel myself getting rather irritated. _How does this…arrogant arse…manage to turn a simple thank you into some kind of insult? I put on my best smile._

"Well, Mister…ermm…I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, you can always give them back if you don't want them. I'm sure I can find someone who'd be happy to eat them." _Take that, you supercilious specimen._

At least he had the good grace to flush; the tips of his ears were really quite red.

"Miss Swan, please forgive me and let me begin again. My name is Edward Masen-Cullen and I've just moved into the house next door." He extended his right hand, a slightly softer look than usual on his face.

"Isabella Swan." I took his hand and shook it. "But my friends call me Bella."

"Then you must call me Edward," he replied. "Please forgive my rudeness earlier. I'm delighted to have your cakes; I just meant you shouldn't have gone to any trouble on my behalf. I'm really very fond of home-baked cakes."

"I was already baking, Edward. I just thought I'd pop a few over to be friendly. I took some round to Jasper, Mister Whitlock, my neighbour on the other side, too."

The usual harsh scowl reappeared on Edward's face. "You mean that long-haired fellow with the strange car? I saw you with him earlier."

"Oh, his hair's not that long, Edward, and he's really a very nice person. Tell you what, I'll introduce you sometime and you can judge for yourself."

"Thank you, but no thanks." Edward's mouth was twisted, as if he'd just sucked on a very sour lemon. "He doesn't seem like the type of acquaintance I'd like to make."

"Well, that's a great shame," I responded. Never had I been more grateful of the people skills I'd learned as a teacher. Dealing with Mister Edward Masen-Cullen Hyphenated was worse than dealing with the most difficult of parents.

He cleared his throat. "I do hope that won't affect our friendship, Isabella. I'm sure you and I will get along swimmingly."

I'm rarely lost for words, but this was one of those occasions. _Who is this man and what is he thinking?_

"Thank you again for the cakes, Isabella. I'm sure I shall enjoy them very much." He turned and strode off down the path.

"You're welcome, Edward." I watched his retreating form, not entirely sure what to think. _My two new neighbours couldn't be more different from one another. Perhaps it would do them both good to meet._ I began to wonder how I might make that happen.


	9. Chapter 9

_Welcome to Chapter Nine – I'm absolutely buzzing to know that, somewhere out there in the big, wide world, you are reading my story. Thank you, a thousand times, thank you. There's a bit of everyone in this chapter…hope you like it!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Nine**

As I pulled up to Emmett and Rosalie's house, I spotted Em in the window, a muslin napkin over his shoulder, balancing Emily there and patting her back.

When he noticed my car he turned her around and starting pointing towards me. I grinned and waved.

I tapped at the door, before trying the handle. It was unlocked, so I went in.

"Looks, Emsy-woo, here's Auntie Belly-button, come to see you."

"Emmett," I growled, making a snipping sign with my fingers and gesturing towards his nether regions. Em just grinned like the big oaf he is.

"Aw, take no notice of Auntie Belly-B, my little angel. She likes to think she's big and scary, but she's just a cuddly kitten."

"Emily-Rose, guard your ears from that type of talk, girlie," I said in my ' _I am woman, hear me roar'_ voice. "Your Auntie B is strong and independent and not in the least scared of grinning fools like your dad. You stick with me, my lovely; I'll make sure you don't fall foul of any idiots."

"Excuse me, Swan. If there's any looking after to be done, it will be ME who takes care of my daughter."

"Just pass her over." I gestured to the baby in Emmett's arms.

Emmett, for once, did as he was told. I cooed at my honorary niece.

"I thought I heard you two bickering. What is it this time?" Rosalie asked as she came into the living room. Her hair was wet; she'd clearly just had a shower.

"Well…" Emmett began.

"Your husband was just telling your daughter…"

"That her Auntie Bella is awesome." Emmett concluded, with a cocky grin in my direction.

I rolled my eyes then burst out laughing. I never grew tired of the McCarty dimples or the many _arguments_ we had about my gentler characteristics. It had become 'our thing'; I allowed Em to get away with it, only because I knew he was my biggest supporter. It was Emmett who had helped me through my post-Jacob Black depression, built me up and encouraged me to stand up for myself.

"How are you doing, Rose?" I leaned over to kiss her cheek. "You look well."

"Well, apart from permanently sore boobs, excess weight and excruciating tiredness, I'm really great."

"I understand its par for the course." I looked down at the beautiful bundle in my arms. "And surely she's worth it?"

"She is, even in her fractious moments."

I sat and propped Emily on my lap so I could look at her.

"You don't have fractious moments, do you sweetheart?" I looked into her big blue eyes as she gazed back at me; so intelligent and such a look of concentration.

"You're Auntie B's best girl, oh yes you are, "I continued, smiling at the little girl. "You are a perfect an…ewww, what's that smell?"

"You were saying?" Emmett sniggered.

A sudden, explosive noise emanated from the backside of the little cutie and I felt the vibration ripple across my lap.

"Really? Really? Emily-Rose Hale-McCarty, that was NOT ladylike!" I looked down at her again.

Emmett and Rose were bent double with laughter.

"That's my girl," said Em, trying and failing to stop laughing.

"Oh no, Emily. No, no, no." I could feel something warm and wet on my knee. "Tell me you haven't."

Unfortunately, she had. My delightful niece had christened her Auntie B in the most basic of ways.

"Give her here," said Rose. "I'll go and change her nappy."

"Her leaky nappy." I pointed to the mustard coloured stain, spreading down the leg of Emily's white Babygro.

"Emmett!" Rose barked out an order. "Emergency code 1."

Emmett shot out of the room and upstairs to the bathroom. I knew this because I could hear the sound of running water as he started the bath. Rose and Emily followed.

Amidst cries of "Ewww" and "Gross" from the bathroom, I climbed the stairs.

"Rose, is it okay to borrow a pair of jeans?" I asked, sticking my head round the door.

The sight that met my eyes was hysterical. Rose was holding Emily at arm's length, while Emmett was carefully removing the baby's clothes, looking somewhat green about the gills.

"Help yourself to jeans," Rose replied.

"Rosalie! Rosalie!" Emmett's voice was raised, trying to gain his wife's attention. "What do I do now?"

He held up the soiled garment. "She's filled up the leg. What do I do?"

"Oh, use your brains, Emmett. Empty it down the toilet or something. Then put a towel down and pass the wipes."

By the time I'd changed my jeans and returned to the scene of the crime, things were much more under control. The offending articles were soaking in a nappy bucket and the offending girl was soaking in her baby bath.

"Crisis over?" I asked.

"Yep," Rose replied.

"Where's Em?"

"It all got a bit too much for him," she said. "He's in the garden, getting a breath of fresh air."

"Is there anything I can do here?"

"No thanks, Bells. We're all under control, aren't we sweetie?" Rose asked her daughter as she lifted her into a soft, dry towel. "You go ahead and see if Emmett is okay."

I found him in the garden, a glass in his hand.

"Bit early for that, isn't it?" I asked him.

"It's medicinal. I needed something to steady my nerves. Did you see that, Bella? Did you? Oh my god; I didn't know something so small could create a mess that big. I was shocked. Shocked! She's not even eating solid food yet!"

I walked over to my best friend and gave him a hug.

"Welcome to parenthood, Mister McCarty."

T – C – D

I giggled to myself the whole way home.

Once Emily was restored to her beautiful, clean, sweet-smelling baby self, we'd had a lovely time; even Em had recovered enough to heat up some of the food I'd taken over.

I pulled up at home just as Mister M-C-H was leaving.

"Good evening, Miss Swan, I mean, Bella," he said in a surprisingly relaxed voice.

"Mister Masen-Cullen."

"Edward, please." He sounded almost friendly. "How's your day been?"

"Rather wonderful as a matter of fact. I've been visiting my friends and their baby daughter. What about you?"

"My days are usually very straightforward, although I did enjoy a break with routine today. My mother came to see my new home."

"That's great. Did she like it?"

"Most certainly. She's an Interior Designer and she's going to suggest some decorating and furniture for me. I'm thinking of a minimalist scheme."

I could imagine this man living in a very masculine environment filled with glass and chrome. Everything he owned would be perfect – no dog-eared paperback books on his shelves, just expensive, pristine first editions. His sofas would be shiny leather, and there'd be no cushions or throws to cosy up with. Wooden floors or cream carpets, I couldn't decide.

"Isabella?"

"Sorry, Edward. It appears I zoned out just there. Please forgive my rudeness; it's been a long day."

"Then I won't keep you," he said with a shy smile.

"Bye, Edward." I pulled out my door key and let myself into the house.

I didn't know quite what to think of Edward Masen-Cullen, he was a bit of an enigma. Arrogant, rude and aggressive on the one hand, somewhat shy and awkward on the other. My curiosity was definitely piqued.

T – C – D

I had the opportunity to find out more about Edward M-C-H, as I now called him, sooner than I might have expected.

I'd popped into the city, another attempt to accessorise my new home. Armed with more paint colour charts than I'd ever need, I decided to stop off for a cuppa.

As I sat, resting my weary feet, I leafed through the pile of newspapers that was sitting on the table.

I'm not a regular reader, not even an occasional reader, of The Financial Times, but something made me stop. Staring up from the front page was an image of none other than Mister M-C-H, a very flattering image at that.

 _Foxwood Enterprises are delighted to announce the appointment of city whizz-kid, Edward Masen-Cullen as Company Accountant, succeeding Martin Foxwood – one of the company founders – in his retirement._

 _Mister Masen-Cullen, 34, a Cambridge graduate, was formerly employed by Pursue Wealth Inc., a financial services company. It was his astute financial planning that first brought the company out of the wilderness and into the FT most profitable enterprises list 2014._

 _A frequent fixture on the Most Eligible Bachelors list, Masen-Cullen maintains a very private profile, although it is known that he recently spent 3 months as a volunteer in Zambia, helping to build and set up a business model for a new hospital in a remote area._

I put the paper down, shaking my head to myself. _So, Mister M-C-H does have a heart!_ I couldn't imagine the uptight, rude man I'd first seen in Jo's office as a benevolent philanthropist. Then again, when we spoke last evening, he'd come across as slightly softer, especially when he spoke about his mum. _Perhaps he has a split personality? Maybe he's just shy? Of course it's possible that he is just a grade-A arsehole!_

I finished my tea and picked up my bags. I had to stop thinking about the man at number 8; I couldn't work him out – at all!

T – C – D

On my return from shopping, I spent the best part of the afternoon holding colour charts up to walls and eliminating the non-starters. I was certain about one thing – I didn't want wallpaper.

Whilst I loved some of the patterns and designs, I hated the chore of scraping off old wallpaper when I needed a change. Besides, that entire gluey residue played havoc with the plaster underneath. My thoughts were leaning towards a mostly pastel palette, although I could visualise some brighter accents to give the feeling of warmth and cosiness. Pictures and other favourite objects could provide interest and soft furnishings some pattern and texture. I was beginning to think up a homely, but individual, scheme. I wanted my home to reflect my personality; to be smart but comfortable; to make a statement about who lived there, without being at all pretentious. I wanted to be able to invite people over and they'd feel instantly comfortable in the space.

I sought out the large pile of home and style magazines I'd been hoarding since I'd decided to buy my own place and plonked them on the kitchen table. I gathered my 'ideas' book, some scissors, a glue stick and the paint charts. As I sat, trying out different combinations, I was reminded about the many happy times I'd spent with my grandmother drawing, cutting, sticking and generally being arty and crafty. Good times. She used to call me The Paper Queen because I was always doing something that involved paper. I still have a fondness for anything paper and craft related.

There was a rap on my kitchen door and Jasper stuck his head in.

"Hi, Bella. What's going on in here then?"

"Hello, Jasper. I'm just beginning to think through plans to make the place more homely." I gestured to the piles on the table.

"That's a lot of erm…" He seemed to be at a loss for words.

I laughed.

"It's okay, Jasper. I know it looks a bit like an explosion in a paper factory. Lifelong love, I'm afraid, me and paper."

"Sounds like me and history books," he said. "My family thought I'd grow out of it, but I haven't."

"I think we've all got a bit of collector in us somewhere," I told him. "Human magpies."

"I just popped in to ask if you fancied a stroll down to the pub," Jasper said. "I thought it was about time I had a pint of beer in my new local."

"That's a good idea. Give me 10 minutes to make some sense of this mess and I'll pop round."

The local pub, The Green Dragon, turned out to be rather lovely. It was old with lots of original features and, much to Jasper's delight, they served a range of locally brewed organic beers.

We chatted for an hour or so, played a game of pool – which I lost – then walked back home. I was telling Jas (he'd suggested the shortening of his name, not me) about my possible decorating ideas.

"Sounds good," he said. "I had a surprise visit from my mum yesterday. She likes to dabble in a bit of home decorating now and again. Oh, the ideas she came up with – all a bit full on for me, I'm afraid. I'm a man of relatively simple taste. I love her greatly, but I did remind her that, at thirty-two years old, I can decide what I want my home to look like."

"How did she take that?"

"Like the good sport she's always been," Jasper grinned. "Although she did say if I didn't inject a little bit of colour, she'd send dad round with a paintbrush."

"You're very lucky that they're interested," I said. "My parents live at the other end of the country. Mum spends all her time keeping dad happy, and he spends his time keeping himself happy. I'm a bit of a disappointment."

"Their loss, Miss Bella." Jasper gave me a sad look. As we parted at his front gate he took my hand and planted a kiss on it.

"Don't ever think you're a failure, Bella. I can see, even from knowing you such a short time, that you are anything but!"

I was touched by his concern. He was turning into a good friend.

It was only when I climbed into bed later that night that I realised both of my neighbours had a mother who liked interior design, what were the chances? Mine wouldn't know which colours were complementary if the jumped off the page.

They'd both had welcome visits, too. My parents hadn't even sent me a card.

Seemed the day had been full of coincidences. It's a small, small world.

 _A/N: My nana, my mother's mum, used to call me The Paper Queen and yes, I'm still a sucker for a notepad or pretty paper, or boxes, or glue, or glitter, or ribbon … I'll stop there, but you get the picture!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Welcome to Chapter Ten – Thanks, as ever, for your support of this story. It's a privilege to write for you. This chapter contains some significant information – for Bella at least – when she invites both of her neighbours for supper AT THE SAME TIME!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Ten**

In no time at all, the summer break was almost over. Most of the other houses in the cul-de-sac, now officially named Sunshine Meadows, were occupied.

Angela and Ben Cheney were the inhabitants of number one, along with their 2 year old son, Zachary.

Number two belonged to an older couple who had moved from another part of the country. Thus far, they'd kept themselves to themselves and we hadn't been properly introduced.

Number three was still empty, but a sold sign had been erected only last week.

Number four housed a newly married couple by the name of Jack and Melissa Harper.

Three young professionals were sharing at number five. A guy called Michael Newton had bought the property then let rooms to 2 of his workmates, Eric Yorkie and Jess Stanley.

Jas was well-settled at number six, as was I at number seven.

I caught sight of Mister E-M-C from number eight almost every day as he left for, or arrived home from, work.

Plot 9, a two-bedroomed house not unlike mine, was still for sale – the last one on our small development.

Number ten was a large family home. The inhabitants, Shelly and Martin Cope, had three teenaged daughters, who seemed to spend a lot of time mooching around with mobile phones to their ears.

Number eleven belonged to a slightly eccentric man, who walked around the neighbourhood with a pair of binoculars hanging around his neck. He'd been introduced simply as Aro.

Number twelve, the last house to be finished, had been bought by Jo, the site agent and her partner, Lizzie. They had two beautiful little boys called Simeon and Levi.

So, how did I know all this information?

As soon as the builders were off site, Jo and Lizzie threw a 'getting to know you party' at number twelve, just a few drinks and nibbles to introduce the neighbours. I'd been volunteered to contribute some canapés and a few cupcakes by Jasper, not that I really minded. As we were a little way out of town, Jo thought it would be helpful to know who else was around. People popped in and out all afternoon and into the early evening. There was a lot of polite chit-chat and some discussion about the possibility of setting up a Neighbourhood Watch Group.

When most people had left, I walked back down the street with Edward. He'd seen me struggling with a pile of serving plates and offered to carry them for me, which was kind. Jasper had helped me bring everything over, but he'd left early to visit his parents.

"Have you ever considered baking professionally, Bella?" He asked.

I had to admit that I hadn't and that cooking was one of my favourite ways to relax. I loved teaching and couldn't imagine working as anything else.

"I've got 5 days of holiday left and I intend to make the most of them," I told him. "I've done as much planning as possible and I'm going into school for 2 days next week to set up my classroom before the students return."

Edward yawned. "I only recently started my new job, so no time for a break yet. I have to make the most of weekends for now. I'm glad tomorrow is Sunday"

"What are you planning? Anything special?"

"Not much," he said with a sigh. "Leisurely coffee with the newspaper, maybe watch a bit of cricket on T.V., some grocery shopping and that's it really."

Something about his tone made me take pity on him. I know we hadn't got off to the best of starts, and he could still be a bit formal at times, but he was mostly a perfectly pleasant guy.

"Well, as you've nothing planned, come over to supper tomorrow about 7.00 – I was thinking of doing something light, like a Chicken Caesar Salad with home-made crusty bread. Will you come?"

"I'd hate to put you to any trouble." He began to speak but I cut him off.

"We've been here before, remember? It's really no trouble having a friend over for a bite to eat."

Edward mumbled a response.

"Pardon?"

"I'd like that, Isabella. Thank you for inviting me. Until tomorrow evening then."

I watched as he walked next door, a slight spring in his step. _Poor man, he doesn't seem to get out much. He could probably use a few friends, although if he speaks to them in his hoity-toity tone it's no wonder people struggle with him._

I put away my serving plates and began to think about supper with Edward. I was looking through a few recipe books, wondering what to have for dessert, when the idea struck me. I'd been looking for a chance to introduce Edward to Jasper, they were of a similar age and, who knows, maybe they'd become friends.

I looked out of my window, but Jasper's car was still not back. I wrote a quick note and went round to shove it through his letterbox. Feeling very pleased with myself, I settled down on the sofa to watch T.V.

T – C – D

When I woke the following morning, the sky was clear and bright and the sun was shining; it was definitely a day for being outdoors.

My garden was now securely fenced and although the panels had been treated, they'd still need a coat of fence paint to prolong their life. I'd found one I liked in a pale willow green colour and had managed to buy several tins as part of a discount offer.

I dragged on an old pair of shorts and a tee shirt, made a quick drink and headed for the garden with my painting gear. Even though the task was repetitive, I was enjoying myself. The only sounds I could hear were birds twittering as they took to the summer sky.

"Morning, neighbour." Jas looked over the fence. "Thanks for the invitation to supper; I'd love to come over."

"Excellent. Is chicken okay?"

"Free range?"

"But of course!"

"Then chicken is just perfect. I'm just off to the shops; I'll pick up a bottle of wine."

"That's great, thanks; white would be best."

"Yes, Ma'am." Jasper stood to attention and saluted before throwing a wink in my direction.

I laughed at his cheek. "See you later, Jasper."

He had turned around and was about to walk away when he stopped and turned back.

"Bella?" he queried.

"Yes, Jas?"

He gave me a very intense look. "I like the colour."

I couldn't say whether he was looking at the fence or at me, but either way, I blushed.

By 6.30pm I was organised. The food was ready, the table set and I'd showered, changed and put on a summery dress ready to receive my guests.

Jasper arrived first, tapping on the kitchen door before entering, a bottle of chilled Pinot Grigiot in his hand.

"Bella, hi, you look great. You've really caught the sun today; it suits you."

"I really enjoyed being out there, just me and the birds."

"It's a special location, isn't it? Open fields right outside of our back door."

I nodded. The front doorbell rang.

"Jas, please would you open the wine while I get the door? The glasses are in that cupboard." I pointed.

"Good evening, Bella," said Edward in a slightly more formal manner. "You look very pretty tonight."

"Hi, Edward, come on through." I gestured for him to follow me into the kitchen.

"Jasper, I'd like you to meet…"

I didn't even manage to get the next word out.

"You!" bellowed Edward.

"You!" screeched Jasper.

"Miss Swan, I find it hard to believe that you would invite this ill-mannered, scruffy, loutish, hapless hippie into your home," spat Edward in his most uptight voice.

"Bella, how could you associate with this jumped up, pretentious, supercilious, snobbish wannabe?" I'd never seen Jasper so angry.

"Oh, that's right Jasper; I forgot they taught you big words at High School. Not that you need them to doss around tree-hugging." Edward responded sharply.

"At least with me what you see is what you get. I'm honest about who I am and where I started out."

"So am I," roared Edward. "I just recognised the value of using my education to my advantage."

Had there been any flies in the room, I'm sure I'd have caught them in my open mouth. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the extraordinary scene playing out in front of me. Two grown, seemingly mature, men behaving like children.

"You sold out," shouted Jasper, "when you went to Cambridge and changed your name. You broke mum and dad's hearts."

To say I was becoming increasingly confused was an understatement.

"Don't be ridiculous; you're such a drama queen," retorted Edward. "Mum and dad knew exactly what I was doing and why. They understood. They wanted me to get on."

"Even if it meant not coming home at holiday times?"

"There were things going on at the time that you couldn't possibly understand."

"That's absolute tosh, Eddie, and you know it. You just didn't want your Cambridge cronies to know about your working-class family. We were an embarrassment."

"Don't call me Eddie!" Edward yelled. "You're so fucking naïve, Jasper."

"That's rich, coming from you, V-boy," snarled Jasper.

"Say's the boy who couldn't keep it in his pants. Like that's something to be proud of, treating girls like objects solely for your personal pleasure."

"At least I don't surround myself with objects and possessions to prove a point."

"No, you keep your artfully tousled hair a little long, wear faded old jeans and lecture on the environment, although you still act like a student. You're thirty-two years old Jasper, not seventeen."

"Well for a thirty-four year old you act like an old man. All work and no play make Edward dull, dull, dull. Your life is as dull as ditch-water."

"You don't know anything about my life, Jasper Whitlock Cullen. You've been much too busy focusing on your own."

"Says the King of Self-centred."

"That's not true." Edward was beginning to turn a rather vile shade of puce.

"Yeah, right," mocked Jasper. "What have you ever done for anyone that hasn't benefitted you in some way?"

"More than you might think," said Edward. "I don't brag about the things I do."

"And yet there was a photo in The Financial Times, announcing your new job and telling the world about your volunteering." Jasper sneered.

"That wasn't my idea. It was a complete surprise to me; HR must have allowed it."

"Don't try to tell me you're not revelling in the publicity, Mister Big-I-Am. I've seen you swanning around in your top of the range Mercedes."

"So I drive a nice car; it's not a crime. I've worked hard, I've earned it."

Jasper made a noise that came out rather like a growl. "Just another excuse for denying your roots."

"I've never denied anything."

"Well, denial by omission then."

"You dare to talk about omission?" squawked Edward. "The man who dropped his last name."

"That's rich, coming from the person who uses his middle name to appear less working class. I dropped our surname to avoid being associated with my over-achieving older brother."

"And that's your problem, isn't it Jasper? The fact that I have always achieved more than you."

"No, it isn't, Edward. I might even have been proud of your achievements if you'd considered your family more."

"I LOVE MY FAMILY," roared Edward.

"Well you have a funny way of showing it is all I can say."

The momentary silence that ensued allowed me to collect my thoughts. I put on my best, no-nonsense teacher voice.

"Would either of you care to tell me what's going on here?"

The silence continued. "Jasper? Edward?"

I was almost expecting one of them to give the classic _'he started it'_ response.

"This is the older brother I was telling you about, Bella." Jasper offered. "Edward Cullen."

Edward was still rather red in the face. "I'm so sorry, Isabella. My younger brother, Jasper _Cullen_ , seems to think it's acceptable to abuse your hospitality by starting an argument."

"I didn't start it. You have a very short memory, Eddie."

"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me Eddie."

The bickering started to escalate all over again and I decided I'd had enough.

"Enough!" I yelled. "I want you both out of my house, now."

"But Bella…" began Jasper.

"Isabella…" Edward said.

"Stop it, both of you. When you remember your manners and start to behave like reasonable adults, I'm willing to hear you out. Until then, you can leave."

"B…b…but…" Edward stammered.

"Bella, I…" said Jasper, a shocked look on his face.

I held up my hand to stop them. "Leave. Now!"

After they had gone, I stared around my kitchen-diner. The table, set for three, was wasted. The food in the fridge would have to be covered and saved.

I sat down to eat my own food, contemplating the scene I'd just witnessed. _Whatever have I got myself mixed up with?_

 **AN:** Bella certainly got a shock, but did you? You'll find out soon enough about why they fell out!


	11. Chapter 11

_Welcome to Chapter Eleven – UPLOADING the next block - apologies for multiple email alerts! Enjoy xx_

 _Edward and Jasper are feeling a little ashamed of their behaviour at Bella's house and feel they should explain to you, readers, why they're estranged. Edward, as older brother, wanted to go first!_ _ **PARENTAL ADVISORY**_ _: there are moments of explicit language and reference to sex in the later part of this chapter…please avoid if you know you should!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Eleven**

 **EPOV**

I can't recall a time when I've been so embarrassed. Isabella's invitation to supper pleased me enormously; she's a very attractive and intelligent woman and I'd certainly like to get to know her better. I thought I might use the occasion to ask her out one evening.

I was shocked when I walked into her house to find my brother there. I suppose I shouldn't have been too surprised as I'd already seen them going out together in his stupid car. _I hope they're not an item. No, surely not. Isabella is kind and friendly; I'm sure she'd just taken pity on her new neighbour and invited him over for a bite to eat. She couldn't possibly be attracted to my Neanderthal brother._

By the time I discovered who the new owner of number 6 was going to be it was too late to back out of my purchase, not that I really wanted to. _If anyone is going to move it won't be me._ _Maybe Mum actually has a point when she says we Cullens have a stubborn streak!_

It's hard to believe that we ended up buying houses in the same small development, let alone next door but one to each other. I thought I'd be able to avoid any contact; it's not as if we're close anymore. I sat down on my leather recliner and closed my eyes.

" _Come on, Eddie, let's go to a club. I can't come all this way to visit you without going out on the town."_

" _Little Bro, you know I'm not a dancer. Never have been. Never will be."_

" _You work too hard; you need to chill out a little. Stop being such a stuffed shirt and let's have some fun." Jasper loved to tease me. We'd remained close in spite of the differing paths our lives had taken._

" _But Jas, I feel awkward in bars and clubs you know this."_

" _And it's not going to get any better unless you practise putting yourself out there. Go and get ready; we'll leave in half an hour."_

" _You're really going to put me through this?"_

" _It's for your own good! It's not often I get a weekend pass from Maria and come to London to visit my brother. We have a lot to catch up on."_

" _I know, but we could catch up here with a few beers."_

" _Where's the fun in that? You spend far too much time here as it is. When was the last time you went out and partied?"_

" _Um…I went to the company Christmas Ball."_

" _That was in December, it's now August. I am seriously concerned about your social life – almost thirty-one years old and a virtual recluse."_

" _I like my own company."_

" _Yes, yes, but don't you ever get fed up of the company of your own hand?"_

" _Jasper Cullen, do you have to bring everything down to gutter level? I have all the company I want."_

" _Seriously Ed, when was the last time you had a girlfriend?"_

" _I've taken a few ladies out to dinner. I haven't had time for serious relationships; I've been concentrating on my studies and my career."_

" _Almost to the exclusion of all else. Mum was really disappointed that you missed nana Platt's eightieth birthday you know, and that's not the only family event you've missed."_

" _Mum and dad are supportive. They understand how hard I've had to work to get here and they're proud of that. I was the first Cullen to go to Cambridge. Mum knew that I had an important interview I couldn't get out of. I rang nana on the day and then came to see her the next weekend."_

" _Yeah, yeah, says you. Time's a-wasting Ed. Go and change. We'll grab a couple of drinks and then go on to one of those posh London clubs, see how the other half live."_

 _In spite of our almost constant bickering, I loved my brother and I knew the sentiment was returned._

 _Jasper dragged me round some pretty dingy pubs, before we got into a black cab and headed for a club. We were both a little drunk and I wasn't taking too much notice of the directions he gave to the cabbie._

 _I was a bit surprised when we ended up in Soho, but thought we might be going to Ronnie Scott's, probably the most famous jazz club in the world. Unfortunately I was wrong, so wrong. We ended up in a club called The Green Carnation._

 _It was only after a couple of ludicrously expensive cocktails that I realised we were in a gay club. When I mentioned it to Jas he just laughed and told me to chill out, the place was straight friendly. I was irritated by his comment because I'd never been prejudiced in my life._

 _It turned out that Saturday nights were named 'Oscars' in honour of the famous writer and poet, Oscar Wilde; in fact the club marketed itself as 'a lavish place full of decadent pleasures' and 'hedonistic' in style._

 _I remember there being a very embarrassing cabaret called A-Lad-in-Tights, with outrageous drag queens singing 70's disco and making lewd comments. Jas got the giggles and thought the whole thing was hilarious._

 _In spite of my earlier protests, we did end up dancing, surrounded by an eclectic mix of gay and straight clubbers. When we were approached by two very attractive blonde girls, Jas winked and smiled; we danced on for several more songs and I was beginning to really enjoy myself._

 _We somehow managed to grab a table and ordered more drinks. Tanya and Irina were good company, pretty and intelligent. As we talked on, I noticed Tanya getting a little more touchy-feely, a light touch on my arm, leaning in to listen and a hand on my thigh. Jasper and Irina were chatting away, but sat further apart – I assumed because of Maria. As Jas had reminded me, I had no such commitment and I began to think of maybe asking Tanya out._

 _By around 3am we were ready to leave and the girls accompanied us out, it was now or never._

" _Tanya," I said in a low voice, "I was wondering if you'd like to…"_

" _Honey, I thought you'd never ask," she interrupted. "Why don't you come back to my place for coffee?"_

 _It honestly wasn't what I had in mind but I thought 'what the hell – live a little.'_

 _We waited in a long queue at the taxi rank. Jas was waiting with Irina; he said he'd drop her off on his way back to my place._

" _How tall are you, Tanya?" I asked, looking up at her face. She was certainly a long-legged beauty._

" _Six-four in my bare feet," she said. "We girls of Russian heritage are often tall."_

" _You are tall." I might have slurred a little. "I'm six-two and I'm looking up to you."_

 _Tanya giggled and winked._

 _We eventually managed to get a cab and Tanya gave the address._

 _Back at her flat, Tanya offered me a drink before coming to sit beside me on the sofa. She began to lean in and stroke my arm, allowing her fingers to stray up to my neck and along my jawline. I felt pleasantly warm in my alcoholic haze as she began to nibble my ear and kiss my neck._

 _I turned my head and pressed my lips to hers. It wasn't the soft, romantic kiss I expected; it was somewhat rough – in every respect._

" _So, Edward," she whispered in a deep, dark voice. "Are you a top or a bottom?"_

" _A top or a bottom what?" I asked._

" _Don't be coy, gorgeous. Do you like to take it in the arse, or receive it? I bet you have a beautiful cock, don't you?"_

 _I may or may not have gagged, but the penny dropped and I sobered up instantly, at a total loss for words._

" _I'm…err…straight, not that there's anything wrong with being gay, I mean. I'm just…not…" I stuttered out._

" _Really, honey?" it was obvious now that Tanya's voice wasn't just deep and sexy; it was masculine._

" _Yes. Really. Sorry. I didn't realise you were…" I didn't know how to complete the sentence._

" _Are you sure I can't persuade you? You're much too pretty to be straight!"_

" _Um…thanks but no thanks. I'm really sorry I mistook you for…"_

"… _a woman? Don't worry about it, Eddie. I'm honoured. Flattered that my styling is so good; it takes ages to get ready and look this good."_

" _You look…err…fabulous," I stammered. "You had me totally convinced."_

" _Are you absolutely sure you're not curious? I'd be very gentle." Tanya asked._

" _Nope. Not a bit curious. Not even a teeny tiny biy." I stuffed my hands into my pockets. "No offense but I like girls. Ladies. Women. Females."_

 _Tanya laughed. "Don't worry honey. I'm not about to initiate you against your will. How about I call you a cab?"_

" _Thanks."_

 _As my cab pulled away from the kerb, I gave a sigh of relief._

 _Jasper was still awake when I got home. "How did you get on with Miss Tanya?" he asked with a very broad grin on his face._

 _I took a look at my brother's smiling features. He knew. Jasper knew what I was getting into and he didn't say a word._

" _You fucking knew!" I screamed at him. "How could you? You knew, didn't you?"_

" _Calm down, Eddie. It was just a bit of fun. No harm meant."_

" _No harm. No fucking harm! Is that what you think?"_

 _Jasper laughed. It was a bad move. Before he knew what had hit him, I'd leapt over the coffee table and dragged him to his feet. I raised my fist. Somewhere in the back of my head I heard my mother's voice, telling me I must always look after my little brother._

" _Get out!" I yelled._

" _Edward, let it go. I'm sorry I messed up; I thought you'd see the funny side."_

" _There's nothing fucking funny about setting up your brother with a gay transvestite!"_

 _Jasper couldn't help himself; he laughed out loud._

" _I've told you; get the fuck out of my home!"_

" _Ed, be reasonable! It's the middle of the night. What am I going to say to Maria?"_

" _I don't care! Why don't you just tell her the truth? She can see what a Neanderthal she's shacked up with. I just want you gone."_

" _Edward, please. Don't do this."_

" _If there's anyone to blame, it's you Jasper Cullen. You need to grow up. I'm going to bed and when I get up tomorrow you'd better not be here."_

 _I was fuming when I went to my room; I punched a couple of pillows, hoping it would help to release some of the anger I felt._

 _Then I grabbed a towel and went to the bathroom. I turned the shower to its highest, bearable setting in stepped in. I washed my hair twice, then grabbed a flannel and scrubbed my body as hard as I could. Thank god Tanya didn't push things; at least she, or he, was understanding. I didn't want to think about what could have happened. I felt bile rise in my throat and made it out of the shower just in time to kneel by the toilet and vomit._

I opened my eyes and looked around, blinking slightly in the darkness. I didn't often relive the memories that night; I was far too mortified by the whole episode. It wasn't even as if I'm homophobic, I'm not; several old friends from Uni are gay and it's never worried me. I suppose it was a valuable life lesson – never go off with anyone you don't know when drunk! I knew I was lucky to have escaped with everything, apart from my dignity, intact.

The very worst thing about it though, was the feeling of betrayal. My own baby brother knew what he was sending me to.

Jasper had left when I got up the following morning and that was pretty much the last we saw of each other. Our parents tried, in vain, to smooth things over. I'd not had a conversation with my brother in a little over 3 years…until last night.

Of one thing I was certain; Jasper Whitlock Cullen was _not_ going to mess up my chances with Isabella Swan, brother or no brother.

I settled down and began to think of ways to apologise to her first thing tomorrow.


	12. Chapter 12

_Welcome to Chapter Twelve – As so often happens, different individuals have a very different perception of the same events. So it is with Jasper and Edward, so here's his version of events. Meanwhile, tons more thank yous for reading. If you'd like to let me know your perceptions of our brothers' thoughts, I'd be delighted to know._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twelve**

 **JPOV**

If I was a superstitious man, I'd say there was a Cullen curse, but I'm not and I recognise that the way we behaved in Bella's home this evening was entirely unacceptable. I'm not surprised at all that she told us to leave.

Ed and I had always argued; a classic case of sibling rivalry. Mum and Dad used to despair at times, but they knew we loved one another really. I looked up to Edward and tried to emulate him however I could.

He seemed to think I was jealous when he got his first scholarship – well, maybe I was just a little – but I was proud of him. I felt bad that he was teased for being posh, but he really did change over those few years. I'd like to think I was still a loyal younger brother.

When he went to Cambridge, he got worse; he hyphenated his name, he spoke differently and he spent very little time at home. Mum and Dad told me that he was working really hard and I shouldn't get upset, he'd be back whenever he could. To be fair, when Ed did make it home it was just like old times although he often looked really tired. He told me he was working as well as studying; he didn't want to keep asking our parents for more cash. I realised it couldn't have been easy being the golden boy.

I worked hard and got good exam results. I was grateful to Edward; his success had paved the way for me. I didn't feel nearly as much pressure as he clearly had. Mum and Dad were just as proud of me when I got into University, but the novelty factor of having a child do so well had lessened.

I led a relatively normal student life for the first year or two, experimenting with wine, women and song; mostly beer and girls actually. Then I met Maria.

Pretty, intelligent Maria – her Texan accent when she spoke in lectures made me drool. It took me months to win her over. I joined her study group. We discussed, debated and argued. We researched together, wrote papers together and went to talks given by visiting professors. I was elated when she actually agreed to have dinner with me and entranced by her intellect. I thought I'd found my perfect woman, one whose mind was as attractive as her body and soul.

We became inseparable, moving into digs together in our 3rd year. Then came our 5 years in Texas as part of a research programme, good times. We'd not been back long before I went to visit Ed for the weekend.

As ever, we argued about a whole lot of nothing.

I just couldn't help but wind him up about being boring; Ed has always been quick to rise to the bait. I teased about his lack of female company; even though I knew he was shy and awkward around women.

I insisted we went out on the town, I suppose I hoped he loosen up and enjoy himself if I plied him with enough alcohol. Hell, who knew – he might even find a pretty woman and lose himself for once.

We went to a couple of pubs; one of them was a ghastly hole-in-the-wall boozer. I wouldn't have been surprised if the floor had been covered in sawdust with spittoons in the corners. Still, the beer was good, real ale on tap.

Of course, Ed was a bit of a lightweight, two or three pints and he was anybody's. I was a little tipsy, but still fully in charge of all my faculties. That was when I decided to take my dear brother out of his comfort zone.

I'd been browsing the internet, looking for decent clubs in London. I wondered about The Ministry of Sound, after all, it had been famous for years, but didn't think Ed would enjoy the dance music or the volume – apparently it only ever had its speakers turned to forty-five percent of its possible output. I could imagine Mahiki going down well with him; some of the younger royals favoured it and he'd probably enjoy rubbing shoulders with them. Whisky Mist had an old-school gentleman's club vibe and The 100 Club always had amazing musicians.

Then I'd lit upon clubs in SoHo. The range was quite astounding; clubs and bars for every persuasion and occasion, from hard-core porn to high glamour gay cabaret. Porn was out; Edward would either die of embarrassment or walk straight out, so I wondered about a friendly cabaret club.

I hadn't seriously planned to do anything stupid – who does? – but the thought of my dear brother rubbing shoulders with drag queens made me laugh. Maybe I was more intoxicated than I thought: Edward would have a hissy fit, but it might be worth it to educate him. I dragged him outside and got us a cab, smiling as I gave the driver the destination, The Green Carnation; little did I know I'd soon live to regret it.

The place was much more opulent than I expected, full of beautiful wood and furnishings. It had the air of a proper old club with added entertainment. Ed was a little overwhelmed but relaxed after his first cocktail, a Cosmopolitan. If I'd thought the beers had an effect, the vodka and Cointreau mix proved dynamite, Ed even consented to dance. We watched a cabaret called A-Lad-in-Tights, which was a pretty ropey play on the pantomime Aladdin, but we smiled drunkenly throughout. Ed's second cocktail was more adventurous; he ordered something called a Pornstar, giggling as he told the barman his choice. I chose a non-alcoholic drink, recognising I might have a night of looking after my, exceedingly drunk, older brother.

We danced again. I'd never seen Ed so relaxed and he wasn't a half-bad dancer. When 2 curvaceous blondes approached us, he was more than willing to pair off. We got a table and spent ages chatting to the girls, which was when I found out some very interesting information; Tanya and Irina were not what they appeared, they were very convincing female impersonators.

I did try to give Edward a heads-up, although maybe not as persistently as I should have; it amused me to see him flirting away, for once appearing comfortable in his own skin. It was only while we were waiting for a taxi that I realised where things were heading; Tanya invited Edward back to her place and he accepted.

I stepped forward to intervene, but Irina pulled me back and told me not to worry; Tanya wouldn't force Edward to get involved in anything he didn't want to.

When we finally got a cab, I dropped Irina off and thanked her for her company, before returning to Ed's place. In spite of Irina's reassurance, I was really worried. Would Ed be okay? Would he stay the night? Would he be really mad at me?

I tried to sleep but I couldn't. I got up and made a hot drink; I was stone cold sober by now. I didn't have to wait long to get the answer to my question.

I heard the front door close and took a deep breath. In an attempt to keep things light-hearted, I said possibly the most stupid thing I could have.

"Hey, Eddie. How did you get on with Tanya?"

After listening to him scream at me, the next thing I knew, I was pushed up against the wall, Ed standing over me his fist raised. I thought he was going to punch me, so I put up my hands in front of my face.

I waited…and waited, but the impact never came. Instead, I heard my brother's voice telling me to get out. I apologised, several times over. I explained that I hadn't meant to upset him; I thought he'd see the funny side, but my words fell on deaf ears. Ed eventually relented and allowed me to stay the night, but told me I needed to be gone before he got up.

I got home to find Maria asleep at her desk, her left cheek crinkled with the imprint of a keyboard.

"Hey, you," I said, planting a kiss on top of her head. "Another all-nighter?"

"You're back early," she answered with a yawn. "I wasn't expecting you until this evening."

"Ed kicked me out." I told her, before making coffee and sitting down to explain what had happened between us.

She pronounced that we were both idiots and that one of us needed to make the first move so it could be sorted out. I knew she was right, and I thought it probably ought to be me that held out the olive branch.

Thing was, the more I considered it, the more I dug my heels in. Mum had threatened, many a time, to bang mine and Edward's heads together to see if she could knock some sense in. Stubbornness ran in our family, whether it was the kind that made us driven to achieve or the less-palatable kind that made us intransigent in our views.

A few days went by and neither of us got in touch. Days became weeks; weeks became months and eventually a year had passed.

Our parents had tried everything to get us to reconcile but neither one of us was willing to let it go. That's how our lengthy estrangement had come about.

I knew that he was doing well, of course I did. We may not have been on great terms but I still kept up with news of his illustrious career and Mum was always good for other information. As far as I knew, he was still in London although I vaguely remember mum saying something about him looking to move closer to home.

It was only when I saw him a few weeks ago, looking around plot 8, that I realised we were about to be neighbours. I was days away from moving in at that point and there was no way I was about to change my mind; if anyone wanted to move, it had better be him.

I arranged to go over and see the folks. Things got pretty heated when I realised that they had known, all along, that Ed and I were interested in homes in the same location. I recall what they said.

"It's time to stop this feud," Dad said. "It's ridiculous to keep it going after a stupid incident 3 years ago. You've both let it get out of hand."

"We always hoped that the two of you would be close as adults, just like when you were little boys. You used to worship the ground Edward walked on," said Mum.

"And we're fed up of being in the middle." Dad was on a roll. "You don't know how awful it's been for your mother, neither of her children wanting to be together at Christmas or family occasions. It's not the same with one of you missing."

I sneaked a look at Mum who was trying to surreptitiously wipe a tear from her cheek.

"We never set out to hurt anyone," I told them. "We're just so different now. We've grown up and grown apart."

Dad barked out a laugh and Mum smiled through her tears.

"Oh, Jasper," Mum whispered. " _There are none so blind as those who will not see_."

"Huh?" I wasn't sure what she meant, quoting old fashioned idioms at me.

"You meant to say pardon, I'm sure; you were brought up with better manners than that."

"What your mother was going to say," Dad said, taking over where she'd left off, "is that neither you nor Edward recognises just how similar you are."

"Because we're not!" I said, my voice slightly on edge. "Edward and I are like chalk and cheese. Totally different in every way."

Dad laughed and Mum smiled.

"You carry on thinking that," she said. "But we'd say we have 2 very intelligent, driven sons."

"Who are both as stubborn as mules!" Dad continued.

"Both are passionate about the things they really believe in."

"And both are loving and caring, although they show it in different ways."

"Both have the Cullen nose," Dad admitted.

"And the Platt smile," said Mum, smiling.

Dad put his arm around Mum and pulled her to his side, kissing the top of her head. They stood, looking at me, with a satisfied smile on their faces.

I began to let what they'd just said seep into my conscious thoughts. I couldn't deny that there were some similarities, but what they'd said was total rubbish. Wasn't it? I made up my mind to give the matter some more thought, but first I had a job to do. I needed to ask Bella's forgiveness, then maybe ask her on a date. I only wanted her to have one Cullen in her life and I intended that to be me.

 **A/N** _: So my plan was to write ahead and save some chapters, but when the guys got talking they told me I should give you all a treat for being so lovely and post chapters 11 & 12 at the same time! They're so demanding…but what will Miss Bella thing? Chapter 13 will reveal more!_


	13. Chapter 13

_Welcome to Chapter Thirteen – Enormous thanks to everyone who is reading along: Bella thanks you, the Cullen brothers' thank you and I thank you. This chapter sees Bella in helpful mode…with a surprising conclusion?!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

It hadn't occurred to me, until I watched them arguing tonight, that there were a few similarities between Jasper and Edward, in spite of their obvious personality differences. Both had a distinctive aquiline nose and both had the same shade of hazel eyes, not quite green, not quite brown. The thing is, unless you knew they were siblings, the slight similarities were not clue enough to detect their relationship status.

I don't know what shocked me more; the fact they were brothers or the fact they argued like children in my presence. Only when I'd insisted they both leave, did I begin to process what I'd witnessed.

Jasper had told me that he and his older brother were estranged, but hadn't said why. Edward, on the other hand, had said nothing at all. It did throw some light on the coincidence of both their mothers having an interest in Interior Design and visiting on the same day; she was one and the same. I couldn't begin to imagine how difficult it must have been for their parents, stuck in the middle of their feud. It now seemed that, unknowingly, by trying to befriend them both I'd placed myself in a similar situation.

I gave up trying to think of reasons or solutions. I climbed into the shower, prepared for bed and climbed in.

T – C – D

With only 4 days before the start of the new term, I decided it was time to go through my wardrobe. I always kept a set of 'working clothes' separate from my other stuff; smart enough to be professional, but practical enough to work with children and paint, and glue, and all manner of other unmentionable things.

I was just about to put some things into a charity bag when the doorbell rang. Wondering which Cullen brother would be at my door proffering apologies, I ran down the stairs.

"Miss Swan?" A delivery man stood on my doorstep, a bouquet of flowers in one arm. I nodded, yes. He passed them over.

"Thanks," I said.

"You're welcome. Have a nice day."

I wandered through to the kitchen and placed the flowers on the draining board. Finding a small envelope, I opened it to read the card inside.

 _Isabella,_

 _Words are not enough to say how sorry I am for my behaviour last evening._

 _I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies along with these flowers._

 _I hope to see you very soon._

 _Edward_

I looked at the flowers, a gorgeous arrangement of white tulips, simple but very pretty; I was rather impressed. Edward's outward persona was all about material wealth, and if I'd been asked what flowers he'd send someone, I'd have guessed at roses or orchids or something more obvious and showy. Instead, I assumed, he'd chosen with care. Of course, it was possible that he'd simply had his secretary call the florist when he got into the office.

I unwrapped the cellophane and filled a vase with water before placing the tulips into it; I'd leave them to have a long drink and sort them out properly later.

I'd only just gone back upstairs to sort out my clothes when I heard a knock on the back door.

"Hello," Jasper called out. "Bella?"

"Just coming." I went back downstairs, into the kitchen. "What can I do for you?"

Jasper had the decency to look embarrassed before responding. "I had to come over to apologise for last night. I don't know what came over us, but it was unforgivable of us to abuse your hospitality in that way. I am so, so sorry, Bella. I have no excuse for the way I behaved. Please say you'll forgive me?"

"I'm not sure what to say, Jas. Why didn't you tell me that your brother lived at number 8? If I'd known I would never have invited you both over at the same time."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I suppose I didn't really think. I told you before; we've not spoken for a long time. He was the last person I expected to see here last night."

"I've seen children in the playground conduct themselves more appropriately than you two."

"I know, and I'm so ashamed Bella. I'm sure my brother is, too."

"I'd like to know what went so badly wrong between the two of you," I said. "It must have been some bust-up."

"I did something very stupid; it was all my fault."

"Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe I can help?"

"Thanks, Bella. I do feel I owe you an explanation."

"Let me make us some tea, or would you prefer coffee?"

Jasper scratched his chin. "I'd love to, Miss Bella, but I have a meeting in about thirty minutes."

"Later, then?"

"Miss Bella, please will you allow me to take you out to supper this evening? I feel it's the least I can do. We can talk then."

I pondered for a few moments before agreeing. I liked Jasper and wanted to help.

He told me he'd organise things and pick me up around seven, before leaving for his meeting.

T – C – D

I was killing time, reading a book, while waiting for Jas to collect me. When the doorbell rang at about 6.30 I assumed he was early but, to my astonishment, it was Edward on the doorstep.

"Isabella, I was hoping I could have a word," he said.

I gestured him inside and through to the lounge, secretly hoping that Jas wouldn't turn up yet. I didn't want a replay of last evening.

"I just wanted to apologise, in person, for my dreadful behaviour last night. I'm very sorry you had to be a party to that ridiculous episode. I can't say how embarrassed I am, please accept my sincerest apologies."

"I must say I was rather taken aback by the whole thing," I said. "If I'd only known…"

"I take it that Jasper didn't tell you?"

"No, Edward, but neither did you?"

He hung his head. I noticed the tips of his ears had turned red with embarrassment.

"I'd really like to explain properly," he said, "if you have the time?"

"I'd like that, too, Edward. But I'm afraid I'm busy this evening. Another time, perhaps?"

"How about tomorrow?" he said, with a hopeful look on his face. "I won't rest until I've put things right."

"Okay then," I replied. "Tomorrow is fine."

"I'll make arrangements and call you," Edward said. He handed me his iPhone so I could programme in my number.

Edward then called my phone so I would have his number, too.

I glanced at my watch – it was 6.45pm - and he must have noticed.

"I won't keep you, Bella. I know you said you were busy this evening. I'll be in touch about tomorrow."

"Oh…and Edward, thanks for the flowers; they're lovely."

"You're more than welcome, Bella."

As I saw him out, I was grateful that there was no sign of Jasper. I wasn't keen to keep things from either of them, but until I knew their story I didn't want to instigate a repeat performance.

T – C – D

At exactly seven o'clock, Jasper turned up on my doorstep and escorted me to his car. We drove out into the countryside and stopped at a village pub, noted for good food. We found a table that afforded us some privacy and, after food and drinks had been ordered, Jasper began to explain what had happened.

I listened to his tale of a happy family; two brothers close in age and close to one another. There was lots of sibling rivalry, something I'd never experienced as an only, and plenty of teasing and arguing, but the tale Jasper told was never short of love.

"So what went wrong?" I asked.

He went on to tell about his weekend visit to London almost 4 years previously. What had begun as the usual banter, ended up have serious consequences.

"It was my entire fault, Miss Bella. I knew that Tanya was not all she seemed, yet I let my brother go off with her."

"You said you tried to tell him?"

"I did, but when Irina promised he'd be okay, I found it kind of amusing that my uptight brother was about to be propositioned by a drag queen."

"You'd been drinking?"

"Hell, yes. There's no way Ed would have spoken to a girl without alcohol in his system."

I shook my head, feeling a bit sad.

"It was out of character for him, then?"

"Very much so. I just wanted him to have fun. I didn't think…" Jasper's voice trailed off.

"Sounds to me like Edward wasn't thinking, either." I ventured my opinion.

"No. I still feel very guilty about that."

"Well, maybe it's not _entirely_ your responsibility, you know?"

Jas looked puzzled. "How do you mean?"

"How old were you both?"

"I was almost twenty-nine and Ed had just turned thirty. Why do you ask?"

"So, both adults; big enough and stupid enough to make your own decisions?"

"You have a point. I led him to it, though."

"A little, perhaps, but my experience tells me that you can't usually force someone to do something against their will – unless you're a master manipulator and they're extremely vulnerable. I trust you and Edward are neither?"

"Not at all. I thought it would be a bit of a joke and it all went too far."

"Precisely – a stupid prank that all went too far. Not helped, I'm guessing, by overindulgence in alcohol?"

"We were having a brothers' night out, of course there was booze."

"Tell me then, why didn't you both sort it out straight away?"

"Ed was furious when he got home. He kicked me out."

"So you stopped trying to put things right?"

My question clearly threw him. He ran his hand though his hair, sweeping it back off his face.

"I was stubborn. The longer I left it, the worse it got. Ed's stubborn, too, so neither of us was really willing to make the first move."

"What did your mum and dad think?"

"I'm beginning to realise the hell we've put them through," Jas said in a sad voice. "We've managed to screw up birthdays, Christmas and all sorts of other family occasions. It's stupid really."

"A lot of wasted time," I added.

"Yeah." Jasper looked thoughtful.

"But not too late?" I smiled at him across the table.

"I guess not," he said. "But how would I begin?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something," I replied. "Now, here's the menu, what are you having for dessert?"

The mood lightened considerably and we talked about going back to work the following week. I returned on Monday, to two training days; Jas went back on Tuesday but lectures would not begin for a week or more.

"Ah, yes, Fresher's Week, I remember it well."

"One long pub crawl in the evenings and days full of choosing societies and meeting up with your tutor groups. I _think_ I enjoyed it!"

"You mean you can't remember, Mister Whitlock?"

"I may have spent some of my time in an alcoholic haze, Miss Swan, as is traditional."

We swapped stories about our time at University; Jasper's time mostly taken up with Maria and studying, mine with studies, friendship and avoiding getting romantically attached.

"It's a bit of a shame you felt you needed to avoid romance." Jasper looked thoughtful.

"To tell the truth, Jas, my experiences with Jacob put me off to begin with then, after a while, I found I didn't need a boyfriend to make me feel good about myself. I had, and still have, some fantastic friends – male and female – and a career I absolutely love. I don't feel I've missed out."

"How do you feel about it now?" he asked, curiosity in his tone.

"Oh, I'm not against romance at all. Never say never and all that. If the right man came along at the right time, who knows? If he doesn't, well… I'll just carry on as I am. I'm pretty content."

"So you wouldn't be opposed to going on dates…err…with the right person?"

"Not at all." I decided to change the subject away from me. "What about you, Jasper? I know your break-up was pretty recent; are you enjoying your own space?"

"I absolutely love my new place and, yeah, I'm doing okay. Might even have my eye on a pretty lady!" Jasper winked.

"Good for you," I said. "Are you ready to make a move? I wouldn't mind getting back; I'm trying to retrain my body into term time sleep patterns."

I thought I saw a frown cross Jasper's brow, but chose to tell myself I'd imagined it.

The drive home was pleasant; quiet but not awkward.

Jasper got out of his car, held open my door and then walked me down the path.

"I just wanted to say thank you, Bella. For listening and for helping me to see things more clearly. You're a very special lady."

He leaned in and placed a kiss softly on my lips.


	14. Chapter 14

_Welcome to Chapter Fourteen – As ever, big thanks for reading and reviewing…you make me feel like a real author! Here we have the explanation, part 2; Edward's turn. We also get to have a coffee date with Rosalie and Emily. I'm really rooting for these brothers to sort things out soon, aren't you?_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

I woke up to the familiar beep of a text message being received.

EMC _: Good Morning, Bella. I hope you slept well. Thank you for giving me a chance to explain everything, I am looking forward to seeing you this evening. I will collect you at 7.00pm and we'll drive out to a pub for supper. Hope this suits you. Edward._

Not yet 8am and I was already having the strangest sense of déjà vu. Was this just another Cullen similarity?

I texted back.

Good Morning Edward. 7.00pm is fine. I'll see you then.

EMC: _Wonderful; see you tonight._

I got up and went downstairs to make a drink. While I waited for the kettle to boil, I reflected on my evening with Jasper. _We got along very well and I think he is beginning to recognise that both he and Edward have carried this feud too long. Now he just needs to figure out how to repair things._

I made my tea and wandered through to the living room. _I know that I like Jasper very much, but do I 'like him' like him? His kiss last night surprised the heck out of me, I wasn't expecting it; not on the lips anyway. Credit where credit's due, he's a good kisser; soft, plump lips, not too sloppy, didn't try to invade my mouth and nice pressure. I just stood there, like a lemon, and gawked as he walked back to his car. Perhaps it was just a token of his thanks? Yeah, that must be it._

My phone beeped again. I picked it up, expecting to see another text from Edward and was surprised to see Rose's name.

Rose: _Think it's about time that Emily was introduced to coffee with the girls. You up for it?_

Certainly am. What time? Where?

Rose: _Tilly's Tea Room at 10.30 okay for you?_

I'll be there, see you then xx

Tilly's was gorgeous, a quirky place with squishy old chairs and sofas, excellent home baked goods and a pleasant ambience. I arrived early and found a corner table with space for a pushchair, should Rose need it.

A little later than planned, Rose arrived, pushing Emily in one of those pushchairs with a baby car seat attached. Both looked pretty and relaxed.

"I'm so glad to be out and about," said Rose, carefully lifting Ems from her seat. "It's so easy to forget there's life beyond this one."

"Ah, yes, the glamorous world of the coffee shop," I joked. "Come to Auntie B, Ems."

Emily was duly passed over. Rosalie perused the menu while I got the little one settled in my arms.

"You've grown, lovely girl," I said to her. "You look so pretty in your summer dress."

"It's one of the ones Emmett's mum sent," Rose told me. "She runs them up on her sewing machine."

"Your grandma is very clever and you're a very lucky little girl." Emily's mouth crinkled slightly.

"Is that a smile I see? Is it? You're so clever," I cooed.

Rose was smiling at the two of us. "She's just started doing that. Emmett was convinced it was wind, but I know a smile when I see one."

"Quite right. Mums know best."

We ordered drinks and cake and settled down to chat. Emily's eyes began to close and she soon dozed off.

"So, Swan, tell me all the gossip. I'm missing out being at home most days."

"There's not a lot to tell," I said. "Unless you count finding out that my two neighbours are brothers."

"The blonde hottie?" she exclaimed.

"Uh-huh, and the rather uptight one with the hyphenated name."

Although Rose hadn't met Edward, she'd heard me mention him several times, usually in a fairly negative way.

"When did you find that out?"

I related the story of Monday night to her. Rose's response was to fall about laughing.

"Shush, you might wake Emily," I said to her.

"You've got to be joking, she lives with Emmett. That girl is learning to sleep through anything."

"Good point! I don't see what's so funny, though. I found it all rather embarrassing."

"Oh, come on, Swan, you have to see the funny side. Getting drunk and going to a drag club? That's nothing. Okay, so the joke went too far, but nobody was harmed by it. They need to get over it and themselves by the sounds of it."

"That's more or less what I told Jasper."

Rose raised her eyebrows questioningly. "So you've been giving advice to Mister Hottie, have you?"

"Well, he took me out to supper last night…" Rose cut me off.

"Bella and Jasper sitting in a tree…"

"Stop it, Rose. It was by way of an apology and so he could explain everything."

"You think that, lovely; you think that."

"That's all it was Rose, honestly. He's just got out of a long term relationship. He's enjoying his freedom."

"Bella Swan, you don't see yourself clearly at all."

"On the contrary Rose, I know myself very well indeed. I'm quite content as I am."

I thought about it for a few seconds and decided not to tell her about the kiss. She'd be hearing wedding bells before I got to the end of my sentence. Rose was always a strong, independent woman in her own right, but since she and Emmett got all loved up, and especially after Emily came along, she became an evangelist for happy relationships. Fortunately, I was one of the few people who could ignore her enthusiasm in that area.

"Are you looking forward to getting back to school?" she asked. "I think that Em would prefer to stay at home and look after his daughter but I've told him, that's my job for now."

"Yeah, I am. Can't wait to get to know my new class. We're back on Monday; the kids are in from Tuesday.

We chatted and drank tea for a while longer. When Emily woke up, Rose decided it was time to go; her next feed was due shortly. We hugged and said goodbye before each setting off in opposite directions.

T – C – D

Exactly as promised, Edward arrived at seven on the dot.

"You look lovely," he said, taking in the cotton dress I was wearing.

"Thanks," I replied, a little shyly, as he held open the door of his Mercedes.

I was rather relieved when Edward took a different route to the one Jasper had taken the previous evening; each of them favouring the same pub might have been a bit too much.

"I hope you like it here as much as I do," Edward said as he offered his hand to help me out of his car. We were at a pub by the side of a river and it was very picturesque.

It looks lovely," I replied, putting my hand in his and receiving, what felt like, a minor electric shock. "Woah, that was strange. Did you feel it?"

Edward looked a bit embarrassed. "I did and it's never happened before. I'm so sorry."

"It's not a problem, Edward, just a slightly strange sensation. Perhaps it was static."

"Hmm, must be. Not entirely unpleasant either," he muttered to himself. "Shall we?"

He opened the door and guided me inside, giving his name to one of the waitresses who then seated us. We took a while to order drinks and food, before settling down to talk.

"I really must apologise again," Edward began. "I don't know what you must think of us."

"Well, I was surprised to find out your relationship that way. Had I known…"

"You'd never have invited us over." He finished my sentence.

"Well, not at the same time! I wouldn't have wanted to make either of you feel uncomfortable."

"It's a long standing situation," Edward explained. "Believe it or not, we were very close growing up, in spite of our constant bickering. I think we drove Mum and Dad to distraction sometimes."

Edward laughed at the memory; it was a beautiful, rich sound and he looked so much younger when he had a smile on his face.

"I'll bet you did. You're very close in age, aren't you?"

"Yes. I was just over a year old when Mum fell pregnant with Jas. I think she and Dad wanted to have their family close together."

"I'd have loved a brother or sister. Sadly, it never happened. I've always got the impression that my dad would have preferred a boy to a girl."

"Then your dad is a fool. My parents would have loved another child; I think Dad especially hoped for a daughter. I believe that Mum suffered a miscarriage when Jas was little but, of course, it wasn't something we were explicitly told."

"So, just you two boys?"

"Yep. We had a great childhood. Mum and Dad worked so hard, but they always had time for me and Jas. They're self-made people and brought us up to work hard and treat people well."

"Well, you've both passed the test for good manners," I told him. "Well, apart from the slip the other night."

My smirk told him I was teasing and I watched as his shoulders dropped into a more relaxed pose.

"To be truthful, I'm not even sure why we've held this grudge so long. Did Jas tell you what happened?"

"He did."

"How mortifying," Edward said with a shudder.

"Brothers playing tricks on each other you mean? Sounds pretty normal to me."

"I suppose."

"But, like a lot of pranks, it went too far. Jasper feels really guilty about it, you know?"

"I suspected as much. Plus, Mum has let us both know she thinks the whole thing is ridiculous. Says we've got carried away with the Cullen stubbornness."

"What do you think, Edward?"

"I know, in my heart of hearts, that she's right. I just can't quite let go of the feeling of mortification when I found out 'she' was a he. At the time I felt as if it was the ultimate humiliation."

"But not deliberate."

"Back then I was incensed. But now, no, not deliberate."

"There's quite the rivalry between the two of you, I think?"

"Oh, yes. It kept us both on our toes, our parents, too."

"Poor them! Two competitive boys about the house."

Edward grimaced. "Three, if you count Dad."

"Oh, your poor mother! A testosterone-filled house."

Edward nodded and grinned rather sheepishly.

"I really am sorry about the other evening. I'd like us to be friends, Bella."

"Me too, Edward. In fact, I hope to be friends with you _and_ Jasper. You both seem like good guys."

"Mum would be thrilled to hear you say that."

"Sounds like a sensible lady," I said.

"I think you and she would get on," Edward said. "You must meet her next time she visits."

"How's the decorating going?" I asked.

"Well, Mum's trying to persuade me to be a bit less masculine. Says I need a female touch about the place. I tend to go for lots of chrome and leather."

"Oooh la la! Edward." I teased.

"Stop it, Miss Swan," he said with a slight growl. "Be careful who you tease?"

"Is that a challenge, Mister Masen-Cullen?"

"Maybe, Miss Swan, maybe."

The rest of the evening passed very quickly and very pleasantly. Edward was really good company once he got to know you. He had quite the flirty sense of humour.

When we stood to leave, he held my jacket. Once again, he held open his car door.

"Do you mind if we have some music on?" he asked.

"No, of course not. What do you like to listen to?"

"I listen to most genres," he replied. "I have very eclectic tastes. I think there's some Paloma Faith in the file at the moment, or there's some classical stuff. You choose."

"Paloma's fine by me. I think she has a great voice. I love her style, too."

The journey home flew by. When we pulled up, Edward got out and dashed round to open my door. Once again there was a strange zing of static electricity when our hands touched; it puzzled both of us.

"Isabella," Edward whispered. "Thank you so much for this evening. It's been so much more fun than I even hoped."

"I've enjoyed myself, Edward."

He took my left hand in his right and raised it to his lips.

"Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams."

As the static feeling zipped its way up my arm, I think I may have swooned slightly. Those Cullen men were both _very_ charming. I'd need to keep my wits about me to be friends with both of them.


	15. Chapter 15

_Welcome to Chapter Fifteen – Here we are again, lovely readers. It's back to work for our educators and hello to a new colleague – I bet you'll guess who! A quick thought prompted by a guest reviewer who felt the reason for the brothers' argument was pathetic – it probably is! But, my life experience tells me that it's often the small things that set off a chain reaction – we're not perfect, we're human, and we take offence at the strangest things! Oh, and I think Bella and Jasper might be slightly at odds in their thinking_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

The last couple of days of the summer holiday seemed to fly and, before I knew it, Monday had arrived. It was my turn to drive, so I picked up Emmett on the way to school; Rose and Emily stood in the front window and waved him off.

"You okay, big man?" I asked.

"I will be," he said. "It's just hard, leaving the girls today. I'll soon get back into the swing of things, I suppose."

"You will, Em. By the time we get back this evening you'll have thirty more children to worry about."

"But not one of them can hold a candle to my baby girl."

"She's gorgeous. She smiled at me the other day."

"That's my girl!"

We chatted about Emily and her latest accomplishments until we drew up in the school car park. I pulled on the handbrake and opened the boot to get out by bag and boxes.

"I see you've brought everything but the kitchen sink again, Swan?"

"Just because I prepare properly; you're jealous, McCarty."

"Never! I am, however, a gentleman and will help you to your classroom with your rubbi…"

"Don't you dare!"

"Your materials. Are you in the same room this year?"

"Yep. You?"

"No, I've been asked to move into green classroom. Clearly they thought that the two of us next door was just too much." Emmett laughed.

"Aw, I'll miss you, Emmy." I pulled a funny face.

"Good Morning, Miss Swan, Mister McCarty. Nice to see you both back." Mister Elliott, the Headteacher walked into the room, followed by a petite woman with short, dark hair.

"I'm glad to catch you both together. I'd like to introduce Alice Brandon; she's going to be teaching in yellow room this year."

Emmett and I greeted our new colleague before the boss took her off to her new classroom.

"I'd better go, too," said Em. "I've a few jobs to do before the team meeting at 10.00am. See you in there?"

"Will do." I told him.

An hour or so later, I was just sticking the last of the student's names onto the work trays when there was a light tap on the door.

"Hi, Bella?" Alice Brandon stepped into my room. "I'm sorry to bother you, but would it be okay if I came to the meeting with you?"

"Of course," I said. "How are you finding your room?"

"It's nice and big, lots of potential. I've moved some of the tables around to set up my groups and I've put some backing paper on the display boards. Will the meeting take long? I've still got lots I'd like to do."

"We'll probably end up in there until lunchtime, but the afternoon will be free," I told her.

"Thank goodness. I want to make sure I'm as ready as I can be for tomorrow."

"Nervous?"

"A little. My first school was really difficult. One of the Teaching Assistants was horrible to me; I was a probationer and she obviously thought she was more experienced than me and treated me accordingly."

"Well, you won't find anything like that here. It's a lovely school. All the staff members are friendly and helpful and will go the extra mile to help you settle in."

"That's good to know, Bella. I've just moved into the area so I'm still finding my way a little."

"Tell you what; Emmett and I usually go out for lunch on the first day back. Why don't you join us?"

"If you're sure Emmett won't mind, that would be fantastic, thanks." Alice seemed very friendly and I had a feeling we were going to get along just fine.

The meeting dragged on a bit, mostly with tons of information about the coming term; Alice was our only new colleague this year and she was welcomed to the team. Everyone was glad when it finally came to an end.

"I am so ready for lunch," groaned Emmett. "My stomach has been rumbling for the past half hour."

"Your stomach is always rumbling." I prodded Em in his tummy. "I've never known you to not be hungry."

"For an English specialist you've used a lot of negatives in that sentence, Swan."

"But you knew exactly what I meant."

"Sadly, I did. Clearly we've known each other so long that I can interpret your oddities."

"I hope you don't mind, I've invited Alice to join us for lunch," I told him, taking the opportunity while she was on the other side of the room talking to the school secretary.

"No problem. See you at your car in five? I'm just going to call home, see if my girls are missing me."

"Hey, Bella. Where do you guys usually go for lunch?" Alice was remarkably chipper for having sat through 2 hours of admin.

"There's a coffee shop about 2 minutes' drive away that does amazing Paninis. It's good to get out for an hour. We sometimes nip over there for lunch if we need to escape the building; they do yummy cakes, too."

We walked out to my car and climbed in; Em joined us a few moments later.

"Were they okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, fine," he replied. He looked a bit fed up.

"Emmett is a new dad," I told Alice by way of explanation. "It's his first day away from the girls."

"Ahh, how old is your little one?"

"Six weeks," Em said. "Would you like to see a photo?"

Before Alice had chance to answer, he'd whipped out his phone and was showing her photos of Emily and Rose.

"She's beautiful, Emmett," Alice said. "Just look at those big, blue eyes."

"Oh, don't encourage him, Alice. He'll never shut up."

"Don't start, Belly-button, you know you love her almost as much as I do."

Alice laughed. "Are you two always like this?"

"Have been since college," Em told her.

Over lunch we discovered that Alice had moved to the area specifically for this job, and was living in a rented flat. As she hadn't really met anyone yet, I suggested meeting up in the city at the weekend and we exchanged mobile numbers.

T – C – D

The first day of term with the children, came and went in a hurry. I'd inherited one or two 'lively characters' and I'd had to set out some very clear expectations for the coming year. It was always like this, the need to begin in a fairly strict manner then, when the students were settled and knew what was expected, I could ease up a little. Firm but fair had always worked for me.

I was surprised to receive a text from Edward during the day.

EMC: _Hope you're having a pleasant day with your new students and not working too hard. As an accountant I feel I should remind you to tell your students about the importance of maths or they may end up like the man who hired an odd-job man to complete 8 tasks at his house. Sadly, only jobs 1, 3, 5 and 7 were finished._

I groaned when I read it, but told it to Emmett who found it hysterically funny, such a maths nerd!

As I pulled onto my drive, Jasper was just coming out of his front door.

"Bella, hi," he called. "Fancy a glass of wine?"

"I'd rather have a cold beer," I said. "Your place or mine?"

"Why don't you come over to mine?" Jasper suggested. He was about to say something else when Edward's car came down the road and pulled up.

Neither one said anything, but Jasper did give a terse nod in his brothers' direction, which was momentarily returned, before Edward went into his house.

I was silently congratulating myself on having talked at least a tiny bit of sense into them. It was only a nod, but reconciliation had to begin somewhere.

"Bella. Bella." Jasper's voice broke through my thoughts. "Hello? Anyone there?"

"Sorry, Jas, long day. Give me 10 minutes to change and I'll be right over."

As promised, 10 minutes later I was in Jasper's kitchen with a bottle of chilled beer in my hand, chatting about our respective days.

His first year students had only had to turn up and register; lectures proper wouldn't really start for at least a week. The second and third years wouldn't return until a week later.

"But most of them come back for Fresher's Week," he told me. "They like to go talent spotting."

I laughed at the euphemism.

"The world is such a different place and yet not much has changed," I said, remembering those early University days when the new intake arrived.

"You're not wrong, Miss Swan. Honestly, I feel a bit sorry for the newbies; it can be a bit like a cattle market with the established students picking and choosing the prettiest or most handsome first years. It's like letting a load of kids loose in a market full of shiny new toys."

"At least they're not all totally naïve these days. I know I was when I went to college for the first time."

"Ah, Bella, you're beginning to sound jaded." Jasper grinned at me. He did have beautiful, even, white teeth and twinkly eyes.

"You think so?" I asked. "Just because my life isn't an endless round of late-night shenanigans…"

He cut me off. "Shenanigans? Who uses words like shenanigans these days?"

"I do, Mister Whitlock. I am, after all, an English specialist."

We both laughed at the silliness of it all.

"So, no _shenanigans_ for Miss Bella?" Jasper queried, emphasising the word in faux mockery.

"Perhaps when Rose and Em are over the initial shock of being parents," I said. "We'd have a good night out now and again."

"And what's the Bella Swan definition of a good night out?"

"Good company, good food, a drink or two and great music?"

"Music for listening or music for dancing?"

"A bit of both, I expect. I do enjoy a good dance."

I noticed a slight hesitation before Jasper went on. "Me too. It's been ages."

He paused and took a swig from his bottle.

"Bella," he said. "How do you feel about a good old-fashioned night on the town?"

"With you, Mister Whitlock?"

"Yup! I think we've earned it after all this moving malarkey."

"Oh, Jasper! Who uses a word like malarkey nowadays?" He knew I was teasing him.

"Why, that would be me, Miss Swan. So…will you?"

I thought about it for a moment or two, but it wasn't a difficult decision. Jasper was good company and I knew we'd have a great time.

"I think that's a great idea," I said, raising my beer bottle in the air to suggest a toast. "To fun times!"

We clinked bottles.

"Well, no time like the present," Jasper said. "What are you doing this weekend?"

"Well, I'm going to spend some time with a new colleague at some point, but no firm plans yet."

"Is he handsome?" Jasper laughed.

" _He_ is a _she_ ," I replied. "Goes by the name of Alice. She's just moved into the area and hasn't met many people yet, so I said I'd show her around a bit."

"A girl's night, then?"

"More likely to be some retail therapy with lunch thrown in; I'm not sure we know one another well enough for a girl's night, yet. I like her though, and I think we'll get along really well."

"So, we could go out on Friday or Saturday evening?"

"We could. I think I'd prefer Friday to leave Sunday free for planning and stuff."

"So, how about a light supper then dancing?"

"Sounds fab. Are you going to think of somewhere or shall I?"

"Leave it all to me, Miss Swan. I have contacts, besides, I'm not teaching this week."

"Nowhere sleazy now, Mister Cullen…" I bit my tongue when I realised that the words I used would probably offend, given what I knew about his faux pas with Edward.

"Jas, I'm really sorry, terrible choice of words…"

"Shush, Bella, it's okay, I know you didn't mean anything by it."

I apologised again and we changed the subject while we finished our beers.

"Well, I'd better get going," I said. "I need to review today and make sure that tomorrow's plans are ready to go. I suppose I ought to eat something, too."

"Yes, you should. I'll let you know about Friday night."

Jasper leaned in and kissed my cheek. _What a sweet man_.


	16. Chapter 16

_Welcome to Chapter Sixteen – Big love to all you lovely lot; I'm still in shock that so many people are reading (but I'm not complaining AT ALL). After sixteen chapters we finally have a hint of lemon at the end of this one…tis only a hint, but you've been forewarned._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

As often happens at the start of a new school year, the week flew by very quickly. All manner of things had happened and by home time on Friday I was tired, I was hungry and I was ever so slightly grumpy, which was probably a result of the other two things. I'd also agreed to a night out with Jasper Whitlock!

When Alice found me in my classroom at 4 o'clock, I was leaning on my hands feeling brain dead.

"Yay!" she said, apparently skipping from the door to my desk. Clearly Alice Brandon wasn't tired. "That's the first week done."

"And from what I've heard, it's been a great success." I sat up and smiled at my latest colleague.

"I do hope so; the children are great, the school is great and I feel great," she gushed. "Oh, and you're great, too, Bella. You've been a real support this week."

"Think nothing of it," I replied, with a yawn. "You're a natural."

Alice beamed and flitted from foot to foot. "So, are we still on to do something this weekend?"

"Of course," I replied. "How does lunch tomorrow sound, followed by a bit of shopping?"

"I'd love that," she almost squealed. "By the way, Bella, my friends call me Ali."

I yawned again.

"You look as if you need an early night," Ali said.

I sighed.

"I'm afraid that's out of the question this evening."

"Ooo, hot date?" Alice was now bobbing up and down on her tiptoes. I wished I had some of her energy.

"No, not a date at all, just an evening out with one of my neighbours. I've just bought a house and we moved in at more or less the same time. We decided we deserved a treat, so we're going to have supper, then go dancing."

"That's cool," Alice said. "Is he handsome?"

"He has a lovely smile, great twinkly eyes…erm…he's tall, collar length, wavy blonde hair…yeah…he's hot." I laughed at my own description. Of course Jasper is attractive.

"Sounds delish," she said, "but it seems like a date to me."

"Stop trying to make mischief, Alice Brandon." I told her, with a laugh. "We're neighbours and friends."

I swear I heard her mutter, _make the most of those benefits_ _lady_ , but I chose to ignore it.

"So what time tomorrow?"

After a little negotiation, with me deciding I may need a bit of a lie-in, we agreed to meet in town at 1 o'clock.

"I can't wait!" Ali exclaimed. "I live to shop."

"And I shop to live," I responded. "So hopefully we can find a happy balance."

"I'm sure," she said. She rounded my desk and swooped in to give me a bear hug. For someone so petite, she was powerful.

"Ciao, Bella!" she sing-songed, as she literally skipped out of my room.

Deciding that she had far too much energy for a Friday afternoon, I began to tidy my classroom and pack my bag. If I'd been tired before, Alice Brandon's display had completely worn me out. Rosalie had collected Emmett straight after school; she'd had her post-natal check-up and they were planning something 'romantic' Em had told me. I really didn't want to think about it.

I gathered my things and plodded out to my car.

I was thinking as I drove home. _Maybe I should call Jasper and cancel; I'm so tired, I'm sure he'll understand. On the other hand, perhaps a night out would energise me. I could have a nice, relaxing bath, dress up a bit and enjoy the company of an intelligent, handsome man._ The more I thought, the more I convinced myself. Going out with Jasper was definitely a good move; I needed some work-life balance.

After a slice of cheese on toast and a lengthy bath, I did feel revived.

A rare phone call from my parents, complaining that I hadn't been "home" in ages and filling me in on all their gossip, meant I didn't have as long as I'd like to get ready. In the end, I decided on pretty dress I'd bought a while ago but hadn't had chance to wear.

Made of cotton seersucker with a fine grey stripe, the style was flattering, flirty and, best of all, comfortable. I'd never been a great one for heavy make-up and rarely wore any to work, but thought a light, smoky eye would be flattering. Thank goodness that Rosalie had taken me in hand and shown me a few make-up basics. Finally, I had to address the situation of my hair; loose would be nice but, as the weather was still unseasonably warm, I opted for a home-made up-do, a bit messy but not too bad.

I'd quite literally run downstairs to find my favourite pair of sandals, when the doorbell rang.

Jasper scrubbed up really well. Form fitting dark jeans and an open necked shirt, displaying just a glimpse of chest-hair, made the most of his tall, slender frame. In his hand was a small posy of flowers.

"For you." He handed over the posy as he stepped inside. "You look quite lovely this evening."

"Thank you, kind sir," I said, dropping a curtsey in his direction. "Could you possibly pop these in some water for me while I track down my other shoe?"

I held up the one silver sandal I'd already found.

"I've ordered a taxi," Jasper said. "It should be here in 10 minutes, so there's no panic."

"Hallelujah! Found it," I yelled. I sat on the stairs and slipped the shoes onto my feet.

"I'm sure you've been told before but I must say Miss Swan, you're stunning."

I hadn't realised, but Jasper was leaning in the door frame of the kitchen, watching me. He strolled over and held out his hand to help me up. I suddenly felt rather shy.

Fortunately, I was saved by the bell, or rather the car horn; the taxi had arrived a few minutes early. I grabbed a light jacket and my handbag as Jasper led me out of the front door.

"Come on, Bella," he said. "Time for fun."

I decided there and then. _What the heck! I'm going to relax and enjoy this evening, whatever it might bring._

The taxi dropped us off in town and Jasper took my hand, guiding us into a local burger restaurant.

"I hope you don't mind," he said. "I was in the mood for meat."

I giggled, yes giggled. Jas squeezed my hand.

"Why, Miss Swan, whatever are you giggling at?"

"If I was American I'd plead the fifth at this point," I replied, smiling at him.

"But you're not, so you can't. I'll just pester until you tell me."

I gave in far too easily, but waited until we were seated before I responded.

"I just thought it was funny when you told me you're in the mood for meat." I'm pretty sure I was blushing. "It sounded like a euphemism."

Jasper laughed. "It was actually an innocent remark; I didn't think before I spoke."

"Dangerous thing, that. It can get you into all manner of trouble."

"I'm pretty sure I'm an expert at that, as you well know." Jasper dipped his head slightly.

"Hey!" I put my finger under his chin and tapped slightly, encouraging him to lift his head. "We're not out to get bogged down with negative stuff, we're out to have fun, aren't we?"

"Hell, yes! It's been a long time. What are you having to eat?"

We ordered, we ate, we enjoyed, talking back and forth all the while. Jasper had a few beers and really loosened up; he was very witty and charming and I basked in the attention he was paying me.

"Oi!" I mock-yelled, slapping Jasper's hand away as he tried to steal some of my chocolate brownie with ice-cream.

"Whatever happened to share and share alike, Miss Bella?" he asked, trying to make me cave in by making puppy dog eyes.

"Sharing is one thing; stealing is another. You only had to ask, Mister Whitlock."

"Please, Miss Bella…may I try your dessert?" His tone of voice was rather suggestive and, once again, I felt my cheeks heat up.

I nodded, watching my plate, allowing him to scoop up a spoonful of chocolate yumminess.

"You really ought to try this," he said, loading his spoon with apple pie and holding it at my lips. I looked into his eyes, watching as his pupils dilated, before opening my mouth and receiving the offering.

"It's very tasty, thank you." I swallowed.

"But not as sweet as you."

I burst out laughing and, after a second or two, so did he.

"I can't believe I said that." Jasper chuckled. "Cheesy chat up line of the century."

"It was pretty awful," I agreed. "Just don't do it again."

After dessert, Jasper insisted on paying the bill so I made sure I left a generous tip for our waiter.

"Come on, Miss Swan." Jasper pulled me towards him and threw his arm around my shoulder. "It's time to show me your inner disco diva."

"You might regret this," I replied. "If I don't step all over your feet, I may well embarrass you to death with my signature moves."

"I'm just impressed you have moves at all," he said. "For all you know I could be a dad-dancer."

I shuddered at the thought, causing Jasper to rub his hand up and down my arm. _Nice!_

I was prepared to do battle over who paid our entry to the club, but Jasper gave in far more graciously that I would have. I was encouraged by his attitude; a gentleman, with good manners, but someone who could appreciate equality.

Once inside, coats were checked into the cloakroom and we headed to the bar.

"Shots, Bella?" he asked. "I'm not sure I can manage more beer."

"I'm a lightweight, Jas, but don't let me stop you."

"How about one, then change to something else?"

I remembered my promise to myself. I was almost thirty years old; time to live a little and enjoy some new experiences.

"Go on then, just one."

"What would you like?"

"Well, you may not believe this, but I've never done shots before. What do you suggest?"

Jasper leaned across and ordered something from the barman.

"What is this?" I asked as he passed me a shot glass filled with pale liquid and a slice of sugar-coated lemon.

"Chocolate cake," he said.

I looked at the glass. It looked nothing like any chocolate cake I'd ever made, or eaten.

"Don't look so worried. It's half and half vodka and hazelnut liqueur. You take it in one and then suck in the lemon."

"What's yours?" I asked, noticing that the contents of his glass looked different to mine.

"Tequila. Straight." He held up a salt cellar and a slice of lemon. "We'll shoot together, okay?"

I nodded as Jasper counted us down.

"Three, two, one."

I tipped the contents of the glass into my mouth and swallowed, quickly sucking on the sweetened lemon. I spent the next few seconds coughing and spluttering as the alcohol burned its way down my gullet. I decided that doing shots was unlikely to become my favourite activity any time soon.

Meanwhile, Jasper threw back his drink, licked the salt he'd sprinkled onto his hand and sucked the lemon piece like a seasoned pro.

"Damn!" he said. "That was good. Another one, Bella?"

"Thanks, but not right now. I can still feel that one burning its way down." I giggled.

"Do you mind if I do?"

"Hey, we're out for fun, remember? Go for it!"

Jasper was served quickly and brought his glass over to me.

"Want to taste?"

I shook my head, no thanks.

"I just want to try something," he said. "Lend me your arm."

I held out my arm, wondering what Jasper was going to do. When he licked a small section just inside my elbow, I giggled; it was ticklish. He then poured salt onto the wet spot. He threw back the shot then, never taking his eyes from mine, licked the salt from my skin. I could feel a vibration as he appeared to moan slightly. Finally, he sucked on the wedge of lemon. It was one of the hottest things I'd seen in my, relatively inexperienced, life. There was a wicked side to the mellow, laid back Jasper Whitlock and I think I liked it.

"Dance with me?" he asked.

Feeling slightly hypnotised by what I'd just witnessed and loosened up from the alcohol, I nodded and allowed him to take my hand and lead me to the dancefloor.

The music was a mixture of old disco classics and more trendy beats. Jas was a great mover with a terrific sense of rhythm and I simply let go of my inhibitions and did the best I could; it was liberating to move to the music and not feel self-conscious.

As the night wore on, the music slowed and Jasper pulled me into his arms. We'd hugged before, but this was entirely different. I could feel his body, lean and muscular as he held me close and I enjoyed the sensation of it. He kissed the top of my head, another familiar gesture, but when he bent lower and kissed the soft skin behind my ear, I shivered.

"Are you cold, Bella?" he whispered in my ear.

"No, not at all." I replied, hearing my own voice sounding slightly breathless.

"I could warm you up," he suggested, moving his hands gently up and down my arms. I felt the soft hairs begin to stand on end as goose bumps erupted on my skin.

He wrapped his arms around me once again, pulling me in to him, as close as he was able. He was aroused, that much was obvious, even to me. His excitement made me feel powerful. I had elicited that reaction; I had made him feel good. So when he asked if I was ready to leave, I didn't hesitate.

"Take me home, Jasper."

A/N: _I couldn't resist a cliffie, sorry. What do you think will happen next? Will they or won't they?_


	17. Chapter 17

_Welcome to Chapter Seventeen – Hellooooo all. If you survived Chapter 16, you'll know things were heating up a little. This chapter continues in that vein. WARNING: scenes of a mildly sexual nature ahead – if you're not keen, or not old enough, to read on, please take the responsibility to pass it by. I don't write gratuitous or explicit sex scenes; I like a few things left to the imagination!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

The cab ride home was memorable. Ever the gentleman, Jasper continued to pay me attention by pressing small kisses on my neck, shoulder and arm.

Unlike other men I'd experienced – _make that, one other man_ – Jas was gentle and attentive.

"Much as I'd like to ravish you, Miss Bella, you won't find me so crass as to humiliate you publically," he whispered into my ear. "But when I get you home I'm going to make you feel so good…as long as you want to, of course."

I didn't speak, merely snuggled into his side a little more.

We arrived back in Sunshine Meadows and Jas paid the cabbie.

"Your place or mine, Bella?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "I've always wanted to say that."

"Depends on whether you're going to walk me home," I told him. "It's quite a way."

Jasper eyed the distance between his house and mine. "Depends on whether I'm going to _need_ to walk you home. I might be able to persuade you to stay."

I wasn't sure if I was ready for a sleepover yet, but chose not to say anything. If things progressed, I'd make sure to mention it then.

"Lead on, kind sir," I said, placing my arm through his.

"Indeed, fair maiden, the night is yet young."

Right on cue, I let out an enormous yawn and we both began to laugh.

"Oh dear, dear, dear," said Jasper. "Milady is tired. Allow me."

Before I even realised what he was doing, I found myself swept off my feet, as Jas picked me up bridal fashion and carried me to his door.

"Put me down, you'll hurt yourself." I pleaded with him.

"Don't be silly, Bella. You're as light as a feather. Um, can you reach my door key, please?"

"Where is it?"

"Front, right-hand pocket of my jeans."

I don't know if Jasper heard, or felt, me gulp slightly. His jeans were snug and the pocket would be close to his…I couldn't even bring myself to _think_ the word. Then I realised the foolishness of it, pulled myself together and went in search of a key.

The pocket was deep and I slid my hand in slowly, aware of the heat emanating through the lining. We held one another's gaze momentarily and then my search continued. Once again, Jasper's eyes had darkened and I recognised the look as lust.

I retrieved the key and placed it in the lock. The moment we were in the hallway, Jasper placed me down, pulled me close and kissed me quite thoroughly.

"I've wanted to do that all evening," he said. "I find you quite irresistible."

"You're pretty wonderful yourself," I told him, and for the first time initiated another kiss.

"Mm, Bella." His voice was merely a low groan. "May I?"

I saw what he wanted to do and nodded my consent.

One by one, he removed the grips from my hair, until it was cascading over my shoulders.

"You have beautiful hair. I just want to run my hands through it."

I shook it loose, hoping he'd be encouraged to do so.

I lost all track of time, there in his hallway, as we kissed and caressed like two teenagers on a date. Eventually, the need to breathe became essential and we stepped back slightly.

"Come," he instructed, taking my hand and leading me into the lounge. "Let's get a little cosier."

He sat on the sofa, turning his body and stretching out his long legs before tapping his lap.

"Sit. Make yourself comfortable."

"I don't want to squash you." I hesitated.

"Stop that; you won't," he said. "I want you here."

I lowered myself onto his knees, but he reached out and pulled me closer, until I was reclining along the length of his body.

"That's better," he whispered. "I just want to hold you close."

I reached up with one of my arms and caressed his neck, before using my index finger to gently trace the outline of his handsome face. His cheekbones were prominent, as was his slightly angular jaw; there was a day's worth of growth on his jawline which I scratched gently, causing him to moan. My fingers trailed down his neck, paying attention to every detail; I loved the way his Adam's apple moved up and down when he swallowed, so I leaned in to kiss it before quickly moving on to the hollow at the base of his throat.

"Mm, Bella, that feels amazing."

He pulled me closer to him and I could feel the different planes of his body making contact with mine. He held me tight with one arm and used his right hand to stroke down my back several times before passing over the curve of my behind.

"Again, please," I asked, involuntarily pressing myself closer against his body.

"My pleasure." He continued to stroke and caress, in between pressing heated kisses on my shoulders, neck and face.

It had been so long; I was rapidly approaching sensory overload. I was only vaguely aware of Jasper thrusting his hips upwards as I ground myself into him, frantically seeking friction.

"Oh, Bella, Bella, Bella." Jasper had begun to chant rhythmically as we moved, the pace increasing as moments passed.

"Don't stop," I whispered. "Please, Jasper, don't stop."

"Never," he groaned. "So good. Too good. Bella."

I felt his hand slide down my body, slipping under the hem of my dress then rising again, covering the fabric of my panties.

"Bella, too good, can't help…" His thrusts became erratic as he angled himself so his erection met the area at the apex of my thighs. Even through our clothes, the sensation was intense; too intense.

I rode out my first orgasm in ages, as Jasper jerked through his. It took several minutes before either of us was able to speak. I rolled away from him, nestling into the space between his body and the back of the sofa. I hid my face on his shoulder before I could muster up the courage to speak.

"Jasper, I'm so…"

"Don't say it, Bella. There's no need. I'm not sorry at all; well, maybe a little but only because I wanted to treat you so much better than that."

"It wasn't what either of us expected, but…well, you made me feel amazing."

"I'm sorry I lost control so quickly; it's been such a long time, I feel…"

"Embarrassed? That's what I was going to say before…I'm not sorry, Jas, just a bit embarrassed. I just got off by rubbing myself all over you."

"Beautiful Bella, you can rub yourself all over me anytime you like," Jasper muttered, almost to himself.

"Sorry, Bella, sorry, sorry, sorry…that sounds so insensitive of me. What I was trying to say, very awkwardly, is that I think you're amazing and what we just did…mightn't have been…oh, fuck it, Bella. I'm sorry I molested you like a horny teenager."

The frustration and regret in his voice made me giggle to myself. Unfortunately, I couldn't just keep it to myself; before I could put my hand up to stop it, another giggle escaped my lips. Maybe it was the residual alcohol in my system, I don't know, but once I started I couldn't stop.

I began to hiccup and had to sit up. Jasper sat up, too.

"S-s-s-sorry – hic – Jasper. I was just – hic – thinking about how r-r-r-ridiculous this is – hic. Two s-s-s-supposedly intell – hic – igent adults behaving like the kids we – hic – t-t-t-teach."

Tears of laughter were streaming down my face. Jasper smiled, got up and went to the kitchen, returning with a glass of water.

"Here you go," he said. "I'd hate for you to die laughing."

"Ohhh, l-l-l-loosen up, Jas. You've got to admit – hic – it's funny."

"You think that fact I'm mortified is funny?" He looked straight into my eyes.

 _Oh my god, I've gone too far. He's really offended. How am I ever going to put this right?_

"Jasper, I can't apologise e…" I stopped mid-sentence.

His poker face began to slip; first a glint in the eye, then a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"Isabella Swan, you are the most fascinating woman…" He closed the gap between us and placed a searing kiss on my lips.

I didn't stay the night; we'd talked for a while and both agreed that things might have moved a bit faster than we both anticipated, probably helped along by alcohol and a lengthy period of abstinence. That's not to say we hadn't enjoyed our fumble – or the mutual orgasm.

I liked Jasper very much and he liked me; I'd go so far as to say we were in the process of becoming good friends, but I wasn't sure I wanted more.

T – C – D

I dragged my tired body to meet Ali, as arranged, in the town centre; she was still brimming with energy.

"Are you always this chirpy?" I asked her.

"Dearie me, rough night, Bella? Didn't your hot date deliver?"

"Sorry, Alice," I said. "We had a great evening, but I didn't get in until the wee small hours."

"Care to share?"

"Well, let's just say that the earth moved in Sunshine Meadows last night."

"Bella Swan, you sly vixen, you."

"Not so much," I said. "To tell the truth it was a bit embarrassing."

"You can't stop there," she said. "I demand you tell me all."

I thought it over for a few moments; it might be quite liberating to have another opinion on the situation.

"If you ever breathe a word of this to anyone, Alice Brandon, I will…I will…"

"It's okay, Bella. You have my word; absolute confidentiality. So stop stressing, trying to find a suitable threat."

"Well…" I began.

Two hours, and many refills of coffee, later, we exited the café arm in arm. Ali had a knack for seeing things clearly and she'd reassured me that everything would be fine.

We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping. Once again, Alice surprised me. I'd expected her to flit from shop to shop like a retail-addicted butterfly; instead, she turned out to be a very savvy shopper with a great eye for a bargain. She also gave great advice without being too pushy.

"So, are you planning another date with the gorgeous Jasper?" she asked while we were in the ladies changing room of a small fashion retailer.

"I honestly couldn't say; I think I may have seen things a little differently from Jas. I thought it was a friend's night out."

"You think he wants to be more than friends?"

"I don't know; maybe. There've been moments when I've thought so."

"If you want my opinion, I don't think there's any harm in seeing if it goes anywhere. You're both single."

"True. He's a really nice man. I've been out with worse people."

"Do I feel another sharing session coming on?" Alice asked, a broad smile gracing her elfin features.

"Some other time, perhaps. It's a tale that requires at least one bottle of wine and a large tub of Haagen Daaz Ice Cream."

"I shall hold you to that, Miss Swan. What do you think of this one?"

She'd tried on a sixties style pinafore dress, very much in the style of Mary Quant. On anyone else it might have looked out of date, but on Alice it was perfect.

"You look amazing," I told her. "The style really suits you."

"Thanks," she said, skipping back behind the curtain.

A couple more dresses were tried and rejected before she paid up. We left the shop with one bag each.

By 6 o'clock I was flagging. If this was going to become a regular occurrence I'd have to go into training to keep up with Alice.

"How about taking in a film before we head home?" Ali suggested.

"It's a great idea," I said. "Thing is, I might just fall asleep in a dark cinema. Would you mind if we took a rain check on that one?"

I could see that Alice was slightly disappointed, but I was telling the truth; I needed an earlier night.

"Tell you what. Why don't we have a movie night at mine next weekend? You can stay over if you like and be the first guest in my spare room."

"I'd love to." Alice beamed. It seemed nothing kept Miss Brandon down for long.

"We'll figure out the details at school during the week."

"I can hardly wait," said Alice. Something told me she was telling the truth. Alice Brandon was definitely one of a kind.


	18. Chapter 18

_Welcome to Chapter Eighteen – So, a little bit of playground life (which happened when I was teaching in Primary School many years ago…though not to the extreme mentioned here. I simply looked inside! Health and Safety probably wouldn't allow that now) and a little bit of Edward and Bella. Thanks for all the continued love – enjoy!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

Working with children is not for everyone, but I've always loved it; every day is different and you never know what will come out of their mouths next.

This particular Thursday, after the bell had gone, Emmett strolled into my classroom grinning from ear to ear.

"Okay Belly-Welly, let's hear the full story then."

I took a deep breath. "Can we at least get a drink first, please?"

"Your drink, Miss Swan and one for you, Mister McCarty." Ali flitted through the door, 2 mugs in one hand and 1 in the other; in the short time I'd known her it was sometimes slightly creepy how insightful she could be.

"Fantastic," Em cheered. "Now we can get Belly-Button to dish the dirt."

"Indeed," Ali replied. "Can't wait to hear how one of Miss Swan's students managed to initiate a full-scale emergency alert."

I shook my head and took a gulp of my tea.

"Alright, alright; you may as well sit down, make yourselves comfy. Well, you both know that this term's science topic is el…"

"Electricity," interjected Emmett.

"Do you want me to tell you or not?" Em nodded. "Then zip it, McCarty."

Ali sniggered, but turned it into a cough when she saw me glaring in her direction.

"Yes, electricity. Well, Paul Brown has always been a curious lad and it seems that this topic has really caught his imagination. He decided to have a root round in the garage at home, see if there was anything he could bring in to show and tell."

"Enterprising lad," said Alice.

"Absolutely," I agreed. "What I only found out today is that Paul's dad is a bit of a hoarder. He tinkers with cars and bikes and keeps all sorts of bits and bobs…in his garage."

"Perfectly reasonable," said Em. "A man's garage is usually…"

"…a mess," said Ali, with a giggle.

"So Paul dug around for a while and discovered a battery. What he _didn't_ realise was that it was an old car battery."

"Is that significant?" asked Ali.

"It is if you know anything about them - the cells inside the casing are full of battery acid. Of course, Paul just thought it was a big battery and decided to bring it in to school. He loaded it into his backpack and walked to school as usual."

"When did you notice something was wrong?" asked Emmett.

"I was on playground duty first thing this morning, doing the usual meet and greet, chatting to the children as they arrived, when Mikey Newton started tugging on my sleeve. As you know, he can be a bit of a fusspot so I didn't take too much notice. It was only when he shouted and told me that Paul's backpack was smoking that I looked up."

Emmett had his hand over his mouth, but I could still see his shoulders shaking. Ali wasn't even attempting to hide her broad grin.

"Anyhow, some of the girls heard Mikey shouting and they began to point and scream. Pretty soon it was chaos; all the students were shrieking and pointing and trying to run as far away from Paul as they could."

Em was openly laughing now, but I carried on.

"The only thing I could think to do was to get everyone away and keep them safe, so I blew my whistle and told everyone to stand still. I sent a child from each class to fetch their teacher and cleared the playground. Then I instructed Paul to gently take off his backpack, put it down, and walk away."

"Oh, so brave, Miss Swan. My heroine." Emmett just couldn't help himself; sarcasm could have been his middle name.

"Behave, McCarty, or I won't tell you what happened next."

"I was about to go and look in the bag when the Head came out and told me to stop. Mister Elliott had heard about what was going on and had alerted the authorities of a potential incident. He told me that the Emergency Services didn't want to take any risks and that the Army Bomb Disposal Unit had a team on the way. That was when we came into all the classrooms and moved all the students over to the Sports Hall.

"Furthest away from the playground," Ali choked out.

"But the drama wasn't over," I carried on telling them. "When the Bomb Squad turned up, they sent in a little robot with a camera to x-ray the bag and see what was inside."

"Standard procedure," said Em.

"Thank you, Mister Expert. Problem was, they weren't the only ones that turned up; the local press and the regional TV people had got wind of things and were camped outside of the exclusion zone with their bleeping long lenses trained on the playground."

"Bleeping?" asked Ali.

"I never swear where the kids might hear."

"They went home half an hour ago, Bells, you're quite safe."

"Never mind, as I was saying, the media were here."

"So the school is going to be on the telly – excellent," said Emmett.

"No!" I shrieked. "It's not excellent at all."

"Why? It's free publicity for the school."

"Because I was on the fudging playground you big oaf!" I yelled at Emmett. "And I don't want to be infamous." I put my head in my hands and started taking deep breaths.

Emmett and Alice cracked up laughing, while I sat and groaned.

"Aw, Belly-boo, stop stressing. They didn't find anything, did they?"

"No, thank goodness; that was when the battery was discovered."

"So, a happy ending," said Ali.

"As long as Mister Brown is okay when he comes in to see me tomorrow morning. He rang to make an appointment."

Em looked at Ali; Ali looked at me; I looked at Em. Seeing the stupidity of the whole situation we all burst out laughing.

T – C – D

I was still smiling when I arrived home.

"Good Evening, Bella. How was your day?" The dulcet tones of Edward Masen-Cullen floated across my garden as he walked toward me.

"Hi, Edward. It's been…er…interesting," I replied.

"Interesting, interesting or was that a euphemism?" he asked.

"Bit of both," I told him.

"Well, at least you're smiling about it." He made a little shrug with his shoulders.

"I suppose I am," I said. "It's either that or tear my hair out."

He coughed a couple of times then cleared his throat.

"Bella, I hope you don't mind, I've a favour to ask you?"

"Ask away, Edward. Although I won't agree until I know exactly what the favour is!"

"Very wise," he said. "I have a dinner with an important client coming up and I wondered if you'd come along as my plus one? I mean, I'd really like you to accompany me; it would be nice to take a friend I can talk to."

He looked less self-assured than he usually did; in fact he reminded me of a lost little boy.

"Edward, I'd be happy to come to dinner with you, so long as I won't be in the way of business." The words came out of my mouth before I knew I'd said them.

Edward stepped forwards and grabbed my hands and I felt the, now familiar, shock of static electricity. I still hadn't figured out what was causing it – the soles of my shoes? The soles of his shoes? It was all very bizarre.

"Thank you, Bella. It will be so much better with you there. Mister Hunter is bringing his wife along so you won't be the only lady at the table. It's more of a hospitality occasion than a business meeting, so it should be really sociable."

He looked so pleased that I was glad I'd said yes.

"It's on the thirtieth, that's a Friday."

"I'll get it in the diary then."

"I won't let you forget," Edward said. "Now I've got you to agree I intend to keep you to it."

"Will it be very formal?" I asked.

"I've booked a table at Number Ninety-Nine in the city."

"Oh my word, Edward; doesn't that place have a Michelin star?"

"I believe it's just earned its second," he said, smiling broadly. "You're not going to be a reverse snob are you, Miss Swan?"

"I'm sure I've no idea what you mean, Mister Masen-Cullen."

"Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"Cullen is fine. I've decided to drop the whole hyphenated thing; I allowed my own insecurities to colour my decision-making. I was young, part-insecure and part full of myself; not all my decisions were wise. I'm going to keep my middle name as my middle name."

"Sounds like someone's been doing a lot of thinking." I hesitated for a moment; something about Edward Ma-, _Edward Cullen_ , made me speak without thinking, and I hoped I hadn't offended him. He didn't _look_ offended.

"Yeah," he said casually. "The move back here, seeing a lot more of my parents, seeing my little brother...I'm beginning to realise that I'm not too keen on the man I've become. I'm not the person my parents brought me up to be. I've spent too long worrying about what others thought rather than thinking about the people who love me."

"But you do know that it's not up to your parents, Edward. You will be who you _choose_ to be; for you, not for someone else."

"How did you get so wise, Miss Swan?" Edward smiled; it was a genuine smile, one that took years off him. He looked open and relaxed.

"I might've had a bit of help," I replied.

He looked puzzled, so I enlightened him.

"I had a really bad experience as a student and it was taking a long time to get over it. I was really very low. My best friend, Emmett…"

"The big guy I've seen around?"

"Yes, that sounds like Em."

"Not your boyfriend then?"

"No, not my boyfriend." _What is it with these neighbours of mine? They're better at seeing things than a whole Neighbourhood Watch._

"Oh, right-ho. Please, go on."

"So, yes, Emmett suggested I talk to someone."

"A shrink?"

"How very American of you, Edward. No, not a psychiatrist, a counsellor."

"Ahhh, did it help?"

"It did, actually. She didn't answer my questions so much as help me reflect on how I saw things and handled them. I believe I know myself a whole lot better these days. I have the occasional bad day, but that's just life."

"Do you think it would help me?"

"Well, I believe it only works if you're prepared to fully engage with it; you know, do the homework and stuff, consider the options. It can be quite painful, but you do come through that.

"As long as you're prepared to see it through, yeah. It challenged a lot of my preconceived notions about myself and other people."

"You surprise me, Miss Swan; you really don't seem the type."

"What type would that be, Mister Cullen?" I threw the remark back at him and he looked a tad embarrassed.

"You see, Edward, as far as I'm concerned there isn't a specific 'type'; just people who recognise they need a little support to help them understand things a little better. Sometimes they see it for themselves, other times a friend or a GP can give a nudge in the right direction. Self-doubt, anxiety, depression…call it what you will…are all potential parts of the human condition."

"You're quite right, Bella. Please forgive me my prejudice. I suppose at some point in everyone's life, they wear a mask of self-protection. We don't always want other people to see us in our weakness."

"It's not always helpful," I replied. "But I know I've helped other people by sharing my experience. I suppose because I don't look "the type." I winked.

"You're not going to let me forget that, are you?" Edward asked.

"Not until I've had quite a lot of fun with it, which may take some time. You should know how it feels to be stereotyped before someone even gets to know you."

He nodded.

"Um…Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"I haven't put you off coming out to dinner, have I?"

"Not yet, Edward, but if you keep that up you could run the risk."

"Are you actually _teasing_ me, Miss Swan?"

"Do you know what, Edward? I just might be. See you soon."

I turned and walked down the path to my house, leaving Mister M-C-Hyphenated – as I used to call him – open mouthed in my wake. As I unlocked the door and stepped inside I was still smiling.


	19. Chapter 19

_Welcome to Chapter Nineteen – Special shout out to the reviewers – I'm grateful for your time and to hear your opinions! You make me want to write more and write better_ _Are you ready for girls' night? We hear more from Jasper, too!_ _Just a quick additional note_ _: Bella is strong and intelligent but emotionally a bit naïve. She honestly likes both of the brothers and believes she's being friendly and neighbourly; I don't think it occurs to her that either one might misread her friendship for more, even Jasper after their tipsy fumblings…_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

I was glad when Friday arrived and I hadn't forgotten inviting Ali for a girls' night. She followed me home in her car and we'd just changed into our PJ's, ready to settle down, when the doorbell rang. I was very surprised to see Rosalie on the doorstep, with Emily in her car carrier seat.

"Hi, Rose," I said as I opened the door to let her inside.

"I hope you've not started without us," she replied. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

She nodded in Alice's direction.

"Oh, yes, of course," I said. I was in a bit of a fluster. "Rosalie Hale, this is Alice Brandon, our new colleague. Ali, this is Rose, Emmett's fiancée."

Rose held out her hand, but Ali pulled her in for a hug. "I feel as if I know you already," she said. "Emmett is always going on about you and your daughter. May I?"

Ali gestured to the car seat then, after a nod from Rose, peeked inside. Emily was fast asleep, her tiny rosebud lips twitching as she dreamt of who-knows-what.

"Ohhh," whispered Alice. "She's even more beautiful in real life than in Em's photos."

Rosalie stood tall and gave her 'proud mummy' grin.

"You'll do," she said. "Now then, Auntie B. I've a bone to pick with you. Where was our invitation to girls' night?"

I stuttered for a few minutes and shuffled uncomfortably. Truth was, I didn't have an answer. I just assumed that Rose would be too busy taking care of Emily. _You know what happens when you assume…makes an ASS out of U and ME._

"No worries, Swan, Em told us all about it and we invited ourselves."

"Sorry, Rose. I'm really glad you're here though. Emily too."

"Come on then, ladies. What's the plan?"

"Wine, pizza, a DVD and popcorn," said Alice. "We've not started yet."

"Cool," said Rose. "I've brought this." She took a bottle of fizzy grape juice out of Emily's changing bag and held it up.

"Still on the wagon, Rose?" I asked.

"Are you breastfeeding?" asked Alice.

"I am," said Rose, "but that's not why. I can have an occasional glass of wine, but as I'm driving, it's grape juice for me tonight."

I got out the glasses and we poured the drinks. I found a pizza takeaway menu in the kitchen and, after some debate, we ordered.

I was really pleased to see how easily Rose slipped into conversation with Alice; her unexpected arrival could have been quite awkward, but it wasn't at all.

"Can we please watch a DVD with some hunky men in it?" asked Rose.

"You mean Em isn't hunky enough, Miss Hale?"

"Of course he is," Rose replied. "But it's a girl's night tradition to enjoy a few six-packs and handsome faces."

Ali grinned. "I could tolerate that," she said.

"Coyote Ugly?" I suggested.

"Nah, too mushy. All that ' _fighting the moonlight'_ stuff. Jersey was such a wimp."

"Bridget Jones' Diary. That has handsome men."

"But Hugh Grant is such a philanderer," said Rose and Ali agreed.

"I vote for Magic Mike," said Alice.

"Hell, yeah," Rose agreed. "Matthew McConaughey in cowboy mode; does it for me."

"Don't forget Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer," squeaked Alice. "Hot, hot, hot!"

Rose and Alice shared a high five.

"Don't be such a prude Belly-Welly," said Rose.

"It's all an act," said Alice. "I'm sure Miss Swan can appreciate the finer points of a film about male strippers as well as the next girl."

"I'll put up with it…for you two." I rolled my eyes before grinning widely.

I loaded the DVD into the machine and just as we settled down the doorbell rang again.

"Must be the stripper I ordered," Rose said, pressing pause on the remote control.

"I'd better get it, then."

Unfortunately, the delivery guy looked nothing like Channing, Alex or Matthew. He was sallow-skinned and somewhat overweight. I shuddered at a passing thought – _what if he had turned out to be a stripper?_ I tried not to linger on the thought as it could easily put me off my pizza.

"Pizza for Swan?" he asked.

I paid the bill, took hold of the boxes and returned to the lounge to find Rose and Alice in a fit of laughter.

"What's funny?" I asked, placing the boxes on the coffee table and handing out paper napkins.

"Absolutely nothing, Bella," said Ali.

"Nope – nothing at all," said Rose.

I didn't believe either of them, but there was nothing I could do to force any information from them. We settled down with our food and Rose started the movie.

As the credits rolled, Emily began to grizzle.

"Perfect timing, lovely girl," said Rose, lifting her out of the seat. "Are you hungry, beautiful?"

Emily whimpered and turned to root for her mother's breast.

"Is this okay?" Rose asked. "I know some people find feeding mothers a bit…um…icky."

"Is that even a word?" I laughed. "And of course it's okay; it's the most natural thing in the world."

"Unless you're going to do a 'Magic Mike' on us, you know, flashing your boobs and all," said Ali.

"My daughter and I are very discreet," said Rose, lifting the hem of her top.

Very soon, we were chatting and giggling, interrupted occasionally by Emily's little grunts and groans as she drank her fill.

"Pass her over," I said when Emily had finished. She had the soporific look of a baby well-fed.

Rose tossed me a cotton nappy which I put over my shoulder and then the girl herself, who I gently held upright, patting her rhythmically on the back. A massive belch exited her tiny body.

"Emily Rose!" said Rosalie.

"Better out than in," muttered Alice. "May I have a cuddle?"

"I'll just change her first," said Rose. "I'll pop upstairs, if that's okay."

"No problem, Rose," I replied.

"Mmm, she smells beautiful," Ali crooned. "All warm and snuggly and baby powder."

"She didn't smell like that 10 minutes ago." Rose laughed. "Well, we'd better make tracks or daddy will be sending out a search party, won't he, sweetheart?"

I popped Emily back in her seat while Rose used the bathroom; Ali and I were cooing over her when she returned.

"It's been good," she said as I gave her a hug. "Even if I did have to invite myself."

"I'm sorry, Rosalie. You're first on the list for next time."

"You ladies will have to come round mine next," offered Alice. "It's strange being the newbie."

We agreed that we'd try to get together regularly and sent Rose and Emily on their way.

"So?" I asked Alice when we sat back down. "What was all the giggling about?"

"Rosalie was filling me in about your next door neighbours, Mister Hottie and Mister Hyphenated as she called them. I take it you've not told her about your 'liaison' with Jasper?"

"No, not at this point. I really didn't want to have to put up with Em's constant teasing if he found out, which he most certainly would – they tell each other everything."

"Good place to be in a relationship, though!" Alice exclaimed. "Openness and honesty."

"They're made for each other," I agreed.

T – C – D

After Ali left on Saturday morning I did the laundry and some housework. I was hanging out the washing, when Jasper called over the fence.

"Time for a catch up, Miss Bella?"

"Sure, I'll put the kettle on."

Jas was round before the kettle boiled. He tapped on the back door and walked in, coming over to where I stood and greeting me with a kiss, which took me rather by surprise.

"How's your week been?" he asked.

I told the tale of Paul's Incendiary Backpack and of our girl's night, which he found funny and slightly confusing in turn.

"Fresher's has been pretty manic," he told me. "I've had 3 different student lists so far. Little buggers keep changing their minds. At least the numbers are up."

"They've obviously all heard of the wonderful Mister Whitlock."

"About that," he said. "I've decided to go back to my proper name, you know, Cullen. Using my middle name instead is almost as bad as my brother doing the double-barrelled thing. We were both being ridiculously immature – poor mum and dad."

"Two very bright, articulate sons behaving like…"

"Spoilt kids, yeah, I know. They've never said it, but I think they might have been disappointed that neither one of us used our family name."

"Maybe, but they've never stopped loving you or supporting you. You're very lucky, Jasper."

"We really are."

I was impressed, and a little surprised, to hear Jasper use the word 'we', talking about his brother as well as himself. _Perhaps some kind of reconciliation is possible? Hmm, if it is, it has to be between Jasper and Edward themselves. I might live in the middle house; I might have formed friendships with them both, but I can't interfere or force them to get along. How did I get myself into this?_

"Earth to Bella; come in, Bella." Jasper had one hand in front of his mouth, miming the action of speaking into a walkie-talkie radio.

I'd been so preoccupied thinking things over that I must have missed a large part of the conversation.

"I'm sorry, Jas. I spaced out a bit there."

"I noticed," he replied, giving me one of his signature smiles. "I was asking if we could go out again soon?"

I hesitated. The last thing I wanted was to lead Jasper on and I still wasn't sure where I wanted things to go, if anywhere. I decided that honesty would be the best policy."

"Jas, I don't want to lead you on," I told him.

"You're not!" he said emphatically. "I know exactly where I'd _like_ things to go."

"But I don't, Jas. I just don't want things to happen too quickly."

"What's wrong, Bella? Didn't you enjoy what happened last time we went out?"

"Of course I did, Jasper, you must know that. I just don't want us to rush into anything on the back of it, especially as we'd both been drinking."

"I know how I feel; I really like you, Bella."

"I like you too, Jasper. I want to keep on liking you. If there's something, beyond friendship, growing between us, I'd like it to happen slowly. I'm a bit gun-shy, you know?"

He pulled me close and wrapped me in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Miss Bella," he whispered into my hair. "I didn't mean to push you. I really like you."

"I like you too, Jas. You're a great guy and a good friend. I'm just not ready to rush headlong into anything else."

"I'm a patient man. We'll go as slowly as you need."

"I can do friends and I can do slow. I'm just not sure what I want yet, Jas. Thanks for being so understanding."

The mood lightened as he released me.

"Well then, Miss Bella, let me ask you something. Have you ever been to a football match?"

"I can't say I have," I told him. "Why?"

"I just happen to have been given a couple of tickets for City's next home game. How would you like to be my guest?"

"Well, I'd like to, but wouldn't you rather go with one of the guys? What about your dad? I'm sure he'd love the chance of a father-son bonding session."

"Are you trying to put me off?" he asked, but he was laughing as he spoke.

"You know I'm not; I was trying to be thoughtful." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Dad's actually got a Season Ticket, Bella, or I'd have asked him first. Trust me; I'd never have heard the last of it if I hadn't."

"You men and your sport," I groaned.

"So will you come to the match then, Bella? It'll be a good afternoon out and I promise I won't push things."

Even though I felt a little conflicted, I knew I didn't want to lose Jasper's friendship. A football stadium with around thirty thousand other people couldn't be mistaken for a date, surely.

"No pushing?"

"Absolutely none."

"No funny business?"

"Scouts honour! No funny business."

"Friends?"

"Works for me."

I hoped he was being honest with me.

"Okay then Jasper, I'll come and experience my first live football match with you."

He picked me up and swung me around, a huge grin on his face.

"You won't regret it, Bella. Promise."


	20. Chapter 20

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty -_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty**

The days began to fly by and work settled down; the new students learned the routines and I was able to enjoy some more relaxed moments.

Home life was good, too.

I saw a lot of my honorary niece and her parents as a family and had regular girls nights with Ali and Rose. Edward and Jasper popped in and out occasionally – managing not to bump into one another – and I provided a listening ear for both.

I was sitting at my nan's table in the kitchen, marking students work, when the doorbell rang. I got up to answer, knowing who'd be there before I even opened it.

"Hi, Edward, come on through."

Jasper had got into the routine of coming to the back door, knocking, then popping his head in and calling out hello. Edward, on the other hand, always came to the front door, rang the bell and waited.

"Good Evening, Bella," he said. "How was your day?"

"Pretty good," I replied. "Apart from that lot." I pointed to the pile of marking.

"Hmm, I've got homework, too." He sighed and held up his leather messenger bag.

"Is that new?" I asked.

"It is. I decided to ditch the briefcase; I'm not a middle aged man, yet. This is still very practical _and_ a bit more stylish."

"Well, good for you, Edward. You really are going for the transformation."

"I think I'm just hoping to be the man I know I should be," he said with a smile.

I smiled back, suddenly feeling a bit shy.

"Are you all set for Friday evening?" he asked. "I'm really rather looking forward to it."

"I am, but I'm also a bit nervous. It's cocktail attire, isn't it?"

"No need to be nervous," he said. "I'll hold your hand…um…metaphorically, that is."

He patted my shoulder in a comforting way. I was used to the electrical feeling by now and didn't really question it anymore; in fact, I rather enjoyed it.

"My friend, Alice Brandon, took me shopping for a new dress, suited to a 2-star restaurant." I told him. "It's a bit sophisticated for someone like me."

"Isabella Swan," Edward growled. "Don't let me hear you say a thing like that again. You are a beautiful, intelligent woman and you certainly don't lack sophistication."

I was quite stunned at the passion in his voice.

"You're telling me the importance of getting to know myself and you, my dear, really don't see yourself very clearly at all."

"Woman's privilege?" I responded with a raise of the eyebrow and puppy dog eyes.

"You're such a contradiction, Bella. You're a most fascinating person."

"Thank you?" I said with a question in my voice.

"Yes, I was paying you a compliment. Glad to see you can just about accept one graciously."

"I try my best."

"I know. Now, do I get a preview of this wonderful new dress?" Edward had a glint in his eye.

"Sorry, Mister Cullen. You'll have to wait until you pick me up on Friday evening."

"Not even a little peek?" He was persistent, I'd give him that.

"Not even a teeny-weeny clue," I told him. "It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises," he muttered.

"I promise that it will not let you down with your business contact; Alice has guaranteed that it is more than appropriate for such an occasion."

"So your friend, Alice, is some kind of fashion expert?" His eyes were twinkling and I knew he was teasing.

"I'm sure she likes the idea, but she settled on a career in teaching."

Edward laughed. "I thought that might be the case."

"It funds her shopping habit," I told him and then I felt a bit mean. "Actually, that was a bit unkind of me. Alice has a great eye for style and a great nose for a bargain. I don't think she pays full price for anything."

"Hmm, a sensory shopper."

"What's that, Edward?"

"Well, an eye, a nose…what other sense does she use?" Edward grinned.

"Oh dear, that's really lame," I told him. "Although I suppose you'd say she has common sense."

"Touché, Miss Swan, touché!"

T – C – D

Friday arrived all too quickly and, in spite of Edward's reassurances earlier in the week, the butterflies in my tummy seemed to have mutated into angry birds.

"How are you doing, Bella?" asked Alice at lunchtime when she noticed me barely picking at my food.

"Truthfully, Ali? I'm scared. This is an important meeting for Edward and it's at a 2-star restaurant. I'm feeling the pressure."

"Chill, Bella. Just be you. Edward wouldn't have asked you if he didn't think you could handle it. I think he likes you."

"I like him, too, Ali. He's not the arrogant idiot I first thought; he seems a lot more relaxed. Perhaps, he needs to get to know someone before he can let his guard down."

"Or perhaps he's trying to impress someone?"

"Yeah, maybe; perhaps it's someone at his office."

"Bella, Bella, Bella – please tell me you're not that stupid."

"No need to get personal, Miss Brandon. I'm not stupid and I don't like you suggesting it."

The bell rang at that moment and I turned quickly to talk to a colleague about one of her students, leaving the staffroom with her and making sure I avoided Alice.

I couldn't avoid her completely, however; as soon as the students left for the weekend, she came into my classroom.

"Bella, I'm really sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to offend you, surely you know that."

"Funny way of not offending," I muttered.

"I know," she said. "I sometimes think out loud; it's a bad habit of mine."

"Engage brain before opening mouth." I was definitely in a bit of a grump.

"You've every right to say that," Alice admitted. "But what I meant to say was…"

"Just stop, Ali. The subject is closed."

"I am sorry, Bells; truly." She hesitated, before continuing in a wavering voice. "Is it still okay for me to come and help you with your hair for tonight? I'll understand if you say no."

I noticed the sparkle of tears in her eyes. I may have been cross with her, but I certainly didn't want to make her cry.

"Sure, I'd appreciate the help."

"Thank you, Bella."

"Just one thing, Alice…"

"Anything. Say the word."

"I really don't think I can handle your advice or opinions while I get ready. I need to feel calm and confident this evening."

"Done," she said. "Calm, confident and sophisticated."

"Great. I'll see you at mine in a little while?"

"Yep; I just have a couple of things to get together and I'll be over. Have a shower, but leave your hair damp."

"Yes, oh wise one!" I smiled and was relieved to see Alice's face brighten.

Alice was muttering to herself as she left the room, but I didn't take any notice.

"You'll knock Edward Cullen's socks right off by the time I'm finished with you, Miss Isabella Swan. He won't know what's hit him!"

True to her word, Alice turned up just as I climbed out of the shower.

"Perfect timing," she said, dropping her large bag on my bed.

"What on earth do you have in there?" I asked.

"Just a few hair and beauty items," she said, pulling out a salon quality hairdryer and a selection of styling brushes and products.

I have to say I was impressed with the style she created. The sides of my hair were pulled back and held with delicate clips covered in faux seed pearls; the back was curled into loose waves which fell over my shoulders.

Make-up was simple and natural with just a hint of colour on my eyes and lips.

I was getting into my dress when the doorbell rang.

"He's early," I said, worrying at my bottom lip with my teeth.

"You get your dress on and I'll let him in," Alice offered.

"Thanks Ali," I said. "I appreciate that."

I could hear them chatting as I came downstairs.

"Here she is," Ali exclaimed as I entered the room.

"Bella." Edward stared and gulped and I automatically reached up to see if my hair was out of place or something.

He strode over to me, grabbed my hand, and raised it to his lips; the familiar tingle ran through me and I smiled.

"Edward." I nodded a greeting. "You look very dapper."

He was wearing a dark grey, single-breasted suit with a crisp white shirt and narrow deep-blue tie. His hair looked different.

"Have you changed your hair?" I asked.

He nodded. "Time for an update; new style, a bit more modern. I must say, Bella, you look quite wonderful."

"Thank you," I said. "I do feel rather well."

My dress, a navy, knee-length cocktail dress in classic style was extremely stylish and comfortable.

There was a rap at the back door and I heard a voice call out 'hello."

Alice must have read the panic in my face.

"Off you go, you two," she said, bundling us out of the front door. "I'll deal with your other visitor. You two just go and have a wonderful evening; I want to know about everything you ate when I see you on Monday. It was nice to meet you, Edward."

"You too, Alice. Shall we?" Edward held out his arm and I linked mine with it.

"Bye Ali," I said, telling her though my body language to go and deal with Jasper. I wasn't sure the brothers were quite at the stage of meeting yet.

"I wonder what my brother wanted." Edward mused aloud as we were driving into the city.

I was quite relieved that he didn't appear angry.

"I expect he just popped in for a quick chat; he does sometimes. I'm going to go to a football match with him, you know. I've never been before."

"Thrilling!" Edward exclaimed, momentarily returning to his superior manner.

"Edward." I put my hand on his arm.

"Sorry, Bella. It's hard to go from where we've been at for the past 3 years to total forgiveness in one fell swoop."

"I expect it is." I sighed. "Now, tell me more about these people we're having dinner with."

"James and Victoria Hunter are in their mid-thirties and have been married for about 5 years I think. They run a modelling agency with a very high annual turnover and they've just brought their account to the firm. On the couple of occasions I've met them, they've seemed a bit 'off'. I haven't put my finger on why, but there's something not quite right."

"About their business dealings?" I asked.

"No, they're totally legitimate. It's something about the way they relate; just a gut feeling. I'll actually be interested in hearing your observations later on."

We pulled into the car park at Number Ninety-Nine. Edward helped me out of the car and guided me to the entrance. I shivered as he placed his hand on the small of my back.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"Not at all, it's just…" I stopped mid-sentence, wondering whether to confess to the weird electric shocks I'd been getting. Before I could get the rest of my words out, the Maitre D. came gliding over.

"Ah, good evening, Mister Masen-Cullen." He beamed at Edward then turned to me saying, "Miss."

"Good evening, Gerald," Edward replied, offering his hand. "And it's just Mister Cullen these days."

"It's very nice to see you again, Sir. Are you well?"

"Perfectly, thank you. This is my guest, Miss Swan."

"Welcome, Miss Swan. I hope you have a pleasant evening."

"Thank you." I smiled and nodded towards him.

"Your table is ready, Sir. I understand you're expecting company?"

"That's quite correct, Gerald. Mister and Missus Hunter should be arriving soon. We'll wait in the bar and be seated together if you'd be so kind as to show them over."

"Absolutely, Mister Cullen."

Almost as silently as he'd arrived, Gerald slipped away.

"I'm so not used to this," I whispered to Edward. "I just hope I don't embarrass you in front of your business associates."

"Isabella," he replied, a husky whisper in his tone. "You could _never_ embarrass me."

He raised his arm and stretched out his index finger to brush a stray wisp of hair back into place. I caught my breath as the all-too-familiar spark ran through my body. Edward was looking directly at me.

"Ahem!" A polite cough disturbed our moment.

"Mister Cullen, your guests have arrived."

"James," said Edward, using the tone I'd first heard when he'd been speaking to Jo in the estate office. He shook hands with the man standing there.

"And Victoria; you look stunning, as always." Edward leaned in and kissed her, first one cheek then the other.

"Please allow me to introduce my friend, Miss Isabella Swan."

"Charmed, I'm sure," intoned Victoria, sounding as if she was anything _but_ charmed.

"Isabella, what a delightful name. Tell me, my dear, have you ever considered modelling."

"James," hissed his wife, attempting to put him in his place.

"Come now, Tori," James replied. "We're always on the lookout for new talent."

Edward put an end to the awkward conversation by asking about drinks. We were served quickly and he promptly suggested we go through to our table.

As we went, I found myself thinking once again how nothing was ever quite straightforward when a Cullen was around.


	21. Chapter 21

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-one – Hello, lovely readers. If you remember, last chapter saw Edward collecting Bella for their meal with his clients, just as Jasper appeared at B's kitchen door. Alice stepped in to help Bella out. Now we get to accompany E & B to the restaurant, and home afterwards…there might be a bit of a cliffie! _

_WARNING…scenes alluding to drug use and people trafficking, nothing graphic but it's there. Please avoid if these are issues that upset you._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-one**

Edward was quite right in his observations, there was definitely something unusual about the Hunters. All their interactions with one another reminded me of a game of cat and mouse.

James Hunter was good-looking and he knew it. Tall and blonde, his hair was neatly tied back in a pony-tail; his steel grey eyes continually combed the room, drinking in every tiny detail; it was quite disconcerting. His wife, Victoria, was a striking redhead, whose attention was divided between Edward and her inattentive partner. To her, I was only there to make up the numbers at the table.

"How about that one, Tori?" James asked. "The tall blonde over there."

"Behave yourself, Jamie," she replied.

"I always do, my love." He grinned, and then turned in my direction. "Although I still think Isabella would be a definite asset."

"Too short," Victoria snapped, shaking her head.

Edward caught my eye and mouthed the word 'sorry.' He looked a tad embarrassed.

The meal was delicious, full of different tastes and textures yet somehow perfectly balanced. Edward was a great host, chatting to each of us and making sure I was never left out.

Business was discussed, but only peripherally. As Edward had told me, the Hunters' owned a highly successful modelling agency; it was apparent, very quickly, that Victoria was the driving force behind things. She and Edward were engrossed in conversation.

"I was her first, you know." James leant closer to me, a salacious grin on his face.

"Pardon?" He was close enough for me to feel his breath on my skin and it made me feel uncomfortable.

"Her first model," he went on, laughter in his voice. "Tori discovered me."

"I see," I replied. "How very fortunate for you both."

"Yes, we built the business together; clever girl, my Victoria."

"Certainly," I responded, thinking quickly about what to say next. "You've been very successful, I understand?"

"Oh, yes, Isabella." James looked at his own, beautifully manicured hand. "I find myself in the happy position of being able to have almost anything I want."

"Lucky you," I said, thinking exactly the opposite.

"Truth is, Isabella…" James eyed his wife and Edward, who were still talking, "…right now, I really want you."

"I'm very flattered, Mister Hunter," I replied. "However, I must decline your kind offer."

"I wasn't _offering_." His voice was cold and hard, just like his eyes. "I was merely telling you of my intention to have you."

"I think, perhaps, that Missus Hunter may have something to say about that."

"Say about what?" Victoria must have caught the end of our exchange.

"Nothing of importance, my darling. I was just flirting a little; you know how I am."

Victoria pursed her lips and glared at her husband, before making a perfunctory effort to talk to me.

"What is it you do, Miss Goose?" she asked, a malicious smile playing on her face. I ignored the deliberate insult.

"I'm a school teacher," I told her.

"Oh, I thought you must be one of Edward's girls." The false tinkle of laughter that followed this comment didn't have me fooled for one second. "I know he has a number of subordinates at the company. You look just the type to enjoy number-crunching."

"I enjoy my career, Missus Hunter. Every day is a challenge and every day is different."

Disappointed that I didn't rise to her bait, she excused herself to use the bathroom. Edward leaned in close.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I'd know idea they'd act like this. It appears that James has something of a wandering eye and Victoria is the jealous type."

"Not your fault, Edward. I just wish his 'eye' would stop wandering in my direction."

"Is he bothering you?" Edward asked. "I could say something."

"I'm fine, Edward. I deal with fractious children all day, every day. The man is an overgrown child who hasn't developed beyond the egocentric stage; I really don't envy Victoria one bit."

Edward smiled and, for a fraction of a second, our eyes locked, causing a shiver to run through my body.

"Why, Miss Swan, I do believe you're cold." James broke the moment. "Can I offer you my jacket?"

"Very kind of you, but I'm quite warm enough, thanks."

"So, tell me, James, did you sign up the young lady you were telling me about at our last meeting?"

I was very grateful when Edward dropped into the conversation and tried to change the subject.

"Of course we did, Eddie. How could anyone resist our approach? We are growing our market share annually – as you well know – Zafrina is going to be one of our best assets, I'm sure; she's got such an exotic look."

"How do you select your models?" I asked. "Do you advertise and they bring you their portfolio or do you actively scout your talent?"

"We…ell," James said, elongating the word for a moment. "A mixture of both, really; although I must say it tends to be my innate talent-spotting abilities that bring on the most successful girls."

"But, you recruit models of any gender?" It was difficult to remain focused on the man sitting next to me; his arrogance was monumental, but I tried to remain polite and make small talk for Edward's sake.

"Well, yes, but our selection procedures are particularly rigorous and, surprisingly, fewer male models meet our requirements."

Victoria, who'd returned from the bathroom, chipped in.

"The girls are much more lucrative. We find our clients will pay very generously for the right girls."

I glanced over at Edward and noticed that his brow was a little furrowed. Clearly he had a concern over something that had been said.

"Indeed they will," James said. "We do look after all our girls and the pay is excellent; they enjoy a very good lifestyle. Are you sure you won't reconsider, Miss Swan?"

He had the nerve to wink at me.

Much to my amazement, Victoria giggled.

"I do trust my Jamie when it comes to these things. You must have something, Miss Duckling."

I didn't correct her, it wasn't worth it.

"I can guarantee you a much bigger salary than your teacher's pay. Come on, Isabella; come over to The Dark Side."

James leered in my direction, seeming to enjoy my slightly shocked expression.

Victoria tutted loudly, although she was grinning widely. "Stop teasing, Jamie. Our company name is The Dark Side, Miss Gosling."

"Oh, I see." I heard the note of relief in my own voice. "But, I have no plans to leave teaching just yet, thanks all the same."

"Not even a little part time work on the side?" James asked.

"Sadly not," I said. "I don't always have enough time for my first career without taking on a second."

"Shame," he replied. "I can't tempt you to a test shoot? I'm sure the camera would love you. You have amazing bone structure."

He ran a long, bony finger over my face and I felt a shudder of revulsion run through my body.

"Mmm," added Victoria. "My baby is very talented with a camera. It's all in the angles, you know."

"Tori!" James hissed, a warning note in his voice.

"Well, as pleasant as this has been, I'm afraid we must leave you. I've got early appointments tomorrow." Edward had clearly decided enough was enough. His tone was very brisk and business-like.

"On a Saturday?" asked Victoria.

"Sadly, yes. We're extraordinarily busy at the moment."

"Really, Eddie?" James was quite put-out. "I thought we would make a night of it, go clubbing, have a few drinks…"

"Such a shame," said Edward. I could tell he didn't mean a word of it.

Goodbyes were said and Edward led me away from the table. He paid the bill and we walked, in silence, out to the car.

"Bella, I am _so_ sorry," he apologised. "That was one of the most excruciatingly painful evenings I've ever spent. If I'd known…"

"But you didn't," I replied. "None of that was your fault. I can't believe James, though, flirting like that in front of his wife."

"Money can't buy class, Bella." He opened the car door for me.

"You're not wrong!" I agreed, getting in.

"In fact," Edward mused, "I'm just beginning to put two and two together."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Tell you what; as our evening has been cut rather shorter than I'd hoped, how about a nightcap? I know a rather lovely place. We can carry on talking there."

"Okay, as long as I'm not keeping you out too late. I didn't know about your early…"

I stopped because Edward was shaking with silent laughter.

"You made that up?"

"Oh, Bella, of course I made it up – did you really want to endure another minute with Mister and Missus Sleaze?"

"That man gave me the creeps and it isn't many people do that."

"Here we are," said Edward, as we pulled up outside a beautiful riverside pub.

Over coffees, Edward continued to apologise profusely for having dragged me in to dinner with James and Victoria Hunter.

"I had no idea," he mused.

"About what?" I asked.

"Well, _Miss Swan_ , I have some real reservations about that pair. They come across as legit, but there's something not quite right; I began to put the puzzle pieces together this evening – seeing them in a more relaxed environment."

"You mean they let their guard down a bit?"

"Oh, yes, very much so. James made me very uncomfortable with his comments about women in general and you in particular."

"Do you mean you can't envisage me as a model, _Mister Cullen_?" I giggled.

"Isabella, if you chose to make modelling your career, I have no doubt you would succeed. You have _all_ the right assets in _all_ the right places."

I'm pretty sure I blushed as red as a ripe tomato.

"It has far more to do with the way James looked at you as if you were a piece of meat, appraising you as if you were some kind of commodity."

"He made me feel grubby, as if I needed a shower to wash him off."

"And did you notice Victoria? There was a real change in her demeanour after her bathroom break."

"You suspect…?" I may have looked horrified.

Edward nodded his head, a serious look on his face.

"I think she'd taken something, yes. Most likely, cocaine. The way she was almost euphoric when she came back; and, she had a loose tongue!"

"Hmm, I did notice James trying to shut her up a couple of times."

"Before she said too much," replied Edward. "I have a hunch."

"Do share," I said, leaning in closer as he lowered his voice.

"I think The Dark Side is exactly that."

I must have looked a bit clueless.

"Think about it, Bella. Young, beautiful women, "selected" by James from who knows where. He said they're on good salaries and well taken care of."

Suddenly, the penny dropped and I was shocked at the thought.

"The _Dark_ Side," I repeated in a whisper, almost talking to myself. "The darker side of life, why didn't I get the double entendre? Under the banner of being a legitimate modelling agency, they have a side business of…"

"Escorts. Call-girls, prostitutes, ladies of the night – there's no nice way to talk about it, Bella. I believe they're exploiting young women."

"But there's no proof?"

"Not at present," said Edward. "But, I can make sure their accounts are thoroughly investigated and I can tip off the fraud squad. I'd rather apologise for being wrong than risk the wellbeing of a lot of, perhaps naïve, young women."

I took a deep breath. "Well, that turned out to be a very different evening."

"It certainly did," said Edward, with a chuckle. "I was hoping for a delicious dinner…"

"Which it was!"

"…with great company…"

"It wasn't _all_ bad," I said, trying to make light of the situation.

"…and some dancing…"

"Dancing is overrated, honestly."

"…maybe, but it's the perfect excuse to hold a beautiful woman."

Edward looked at me, his gaze intense, his meaning quite clear. I felt my heart thudding in my chest cavity.

"Shall we?" Edward stood up and held out his hand.

I nodded and placed my hand in his. The familiar energy crackled up my arm and I realised that this was what people meant when they talked about electricity between a man and a woman. We walked to Edward's car and he opened the door and handed me in.

We drove home in silence, that air crackling around us.

Edward pulled his car onto his drive and helped me out.

"Allow me to walk you home, Bella?" he asked.

"Of course, Edward," I replied. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders; I fitted perfectly.

It was only as we approached my drive that I noticed something. Alice's car; it was still on my drive. My heart sank. I don't know how I knew it, but I knew that something was wrong…very wrong.


	22. Chapter 22

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-two – Here we are again. A quick turnaround on this one as I didn't want you to fall of the cliff you were hanging on to! So why is Alice's car still outside Bella's house?_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-two**

"What's wrong, Bella?" Edward asked, as I stopped in my tracks at the sight ahead of us.

"Alice's car, Edward, it's still here."

"Perhaps she's fallen asleep?" he asked.

"Maybe, but she was ready to leave when we left and she was wide awake then."

"I'm sure there's a very simple explanation," Edward said, his voice calm and soothing. "Do you trust her?"

"Totally," I said. I meant it. I hadn't known her long, but Alice Brandon was as honest as the day is long. I was far more afraid for her welfare; at least that's what I wanted to believe.

"What is she's fallen and knocked herself out? What if someone's broken in and hit her over the head, what if…?"

"Isabella!" Edward spoke in a firm voice. "Stop letting your imagination run away with you, Miss Brandon is probably fine. We have a foolproof way of finding out."

I took a deep breath. "You're right, Edward, I'm just thinking the worst."

He held my hand as we walked down the garden path. I retrieved my keys from my handbag and used them to open my front door; I went inside, Edward following close behind.

I entered the living room and switched on the light. Nothing could have prepared me for what I found or the feelings of jealousy I felt.

"Alice!" I gasped.

"Jasper?" I heard Edward's shocked voice.

The 2 sleepy figures on my sofas began to stir.

"Bella?" said Alice, with a yawn and a stretch. "Oh, my goodness, um…"

"Ed?" Jasper's voice croaked from the sofa on the left.

"Jas," Edward whispered.

"Bella, this isn't what it looks like," explained Alice.

"Do enlighten me, Ali." I knew I sounded irritated and I knew I had no right to, but I couldn't seem to help myself.

Edward was more insightful than I'd given him credit for; he recognised a storm brewing and coughed in a very affected way.

"Jasper," he said. "Maybe we should…"

"Er, yeah," Jasper agreed. "Unless you want me to stay, Ali?"

Alice shook her head in Jasper's direction.

"Then, yeah. Better go. Sorry, Bells."

"Just go, Jasper." I glared at my neighbour and supposed friend.

"Isabella?" whispered Edward. When I didn't reply, he said he'd call me later.

I waited until I heard the door close and turned to face Alice. "So, Miss Brandon, care to explain what we just walked in on?"

"Nothing, Bella, honestly. We got talking and totally lost track of time."

"A likely tale," I said out loud, although somewhere in the recesses of my brain I knew things were probably much more innocent than they looked. The green-eyed monster, who appeared to have taken up residence in my head, seemed to have other thoughts.

"Absolute truth, Bella, I swear. When Edward was collecting you, I managed to stop Jasper from barging through. I introduced myself and told him I'd heard a lot about him. Well, that caught his attention and he started quizzing me."

"About?"

"About whether you liked him or not."

"Oh, and what did you say to that?"

"I said you'd told me that you were becoming good friends. That is what you told me, isn't it?"

"Yes, but it wasn't your information to share, Ali."

"I'm sorry, Bella, but I couldn't just say nothing, he's obviously quite taken with you."

"He's a friend, just a friend." _But secretly you like the fact he likes you, admit it to yourself, Bella. Well, maybe, but what about Edward?_

"You keep telling yourself that, but if you don't _like_ him, like him, you should say. He's a nice guy."

"I know, Alice. Jasper is super nice. That still doesn't explain why you two were asleep on my sofas when I got home." _Being sarcastic with Alice is so much easier than trying to sort out the mess in your head, Bella…but the time will come…_ I took a deep breath and shut out the noise of my warring conscience.

"Well, we carried on talking – he's very easy to talk to – and he told me about his time in Texas. I have a cousin who lives out there and I've spent a while visiting, so we got into a long conversation. Then, we started on music – did you know he plays guitar? I'm sure you do, but we talked for ages about that and we totally lost track of time. I was telling him about my new class and how much you've helped me settle in and he told me about his college students. I was telling him about my last school when I noticed that he'd dozed off. He looked so peaceful that I didn't wake him, so I sat and watched him sleep."

"Some people would think that was creepy, Alice?" _I find it quite creepy – a man you hardly know._

"I know, I know and I didn't mean to be a creep, or an unwelcome guest in your house, Bella. I guess I was more tired than I thought and I fell asleep, too. I honestly didn't mean to, it just happened. He's such an interesting man."

I huffed, but I knew she was telling the truth.

"I got quite a shock when your car was on the drive, you know. I thought something bad had happened."

"I'm really so, so sorry, Bella. You're my best friend here and I wouldn't deliberately do something to hurt or worry you."

"Okay, Alice, I believe you." I couldn't see the point of carrying things on at the risk of losing a good friend; although, my trust was wavering slightly.

"So, I'm forgiven?" she asked.

"Yeah." I nodded, but before I could get the rest of my sentence out, she jumped up from the sofa and threw herself at me, enveloping me in a powerful hug.

"Oh, thank heavens, Bella," she cried. "I simply couldn't bear the thought of us falling out. I'm so, so, so…"

"Sorry!" I finished off for her.

She hugged me tightly once more, before releasing me and stepping back, an inquisitive look on her face.

"How did it go, then?" she asked.

"Well, it was _interesting_ ," I told her.

"Doesn't sound very promising for a first date, interesting."

"It wasn't a date, Ali. I was helping out a neighbour."

"You keep telling yourself that, Miss Swan. Friends, friends, neighbours, neighbours; when are you going to admit to yourself that you have 2 attractive men, both interested in you."

"Oh, Miss Brandon," I said, a few minutes later as I saw her to the door. "I'm sure you're quite, quite wrong." The voice of my conscience reappeared with a vengeance. _She is wrong, isn't she?_

T – C – D

I'd just got into bed and snuggled down, when my phone pinged.

 _Edward: So sorry our evening got cut short. Everything okay now?_

Fine! They got talking – and Alice can talk, I know this – and lost track of time.

 _Edward: That's what Jas said, too. Glad all is well._

Whoa, Mister C, you're talking to your brother? That's wonderful.

 _Edward: Well, we've been civil so it's a start._

Sounds like you need to have a good heart-to-heart.

 _Edward: Probably, just not sure we're there yet._

It will happen in good time, just keep the lines of communication open.

 _Edward: You sound like a counsellor, Miss Swan._

Goes with the territory of being a teacher, Mister C.

 _Edward: You're a woman of many talents, Isabella_

Are you flirting with me, Edward?

 _Edward: I believe I am, Isabella_ ;)

You're doing a very good job.

 _Edward: Why thank you, fair lady, I'm glad you approve. Although there is one problem._

Do tell.

 _Edward: Well, because of A & J's little tryst, I missed out on my goodnight kiss._

I didn't text back immediately; I was too busy wondering what Edward's kisses might feel like.

 _Edward: Have I overstepped, Bella? Where've you gone?_

Sorry, Edward, I zoned out for a moment.

 _Edward: Did my suggestion of a goodnight kiss freak you out?_

No, not really…well, not at all. I'm just a bit confused is all.

 _Edward: I guess it's been a confusing kind of evening._

It's had many interesting elements to it, that's for sure. By the way, I forgot to thank you for the amazing meal; it was wonderful.

 _Edward: I should be thanking you for coming along. I'm only sorry about the company._

They're your clients, Edward, not your personal friends; you're not responsible for them.

 _Edward: Phew! Thank Goodness!_

Have you decided what you're going to do, yet?

 _Edward: Not definitely. I'm going to sleep on it._

Very wise.

There was a lengthy pause before the next text appeared.

 _Edward: Bella?_

Yes, Edward?

 _Edward: I'd really like to take you out again, but on a proper date. I like you, Bella._

That's very sweet, I like you too, Edward. I'm just not sure I want to date anyone at present.

 _Edward: Is it because of my little brother? I know you like each other._

He's a great guy and a good friend, Edward.

 _Edward: I saw the way he looked at you earlier and I noticed how angry you were to find him and Miss Brandon together._

It's late, and I honestly haven't given it a great deal of thought.

 _Edward: If you do like my brother, I'll step back and not get in the way. Tonight was the first time in 3 years we've been civil to one another and I don't want it to be the last._

I'm very pleased for you both. I'm yawning here; I think it's time to call it a night.

 _Edward: Sweet dreams, Isabella. Please think about what I said_.

Goodnight, Edward. I will.

T – C – D

I closed my eyes and curled up in a ball under my duvet, hoping that sleep would come quickly. It didn't. Despite the yawning, I was wide awake and my brain was over-active.

 _Jasper or Edward? Edward or Jasper? Two brothers – polar opposites in many ways but both clever and caring and handsome. But who do I like best? Am I even ready to consider a relationship? My head hurts._

I tossed and turned, on and off, for an hour or more before falling into a fitful sleep. Even then, fragments of dreams played out on my eyelids. I saw Jasper and I, fooling around together, enjoying one another. Then I saw Edward, holding my hand, leaning in, green eyes shining, with such an intense look on his face.

I rolled over and opened my eyes to look at the clock – almost 6am. This was definitely not the plan I had for the weekend. I pulled the duvet over my head and tried to get back to sleep. I must have succeeded because the next time I glanced to my left, the clock read 8.30am.

I got up, used the bathroom and grabbed my mobile phone. As soon as I'd put the kettle on, I dialled Emmett's number.

"Yo, Bellybutton." Emmett's voice was loud in my ear. "How the heck are you this fine morning?"

"You sound very chipper," I said. "Everything okay?"

"Perfect," Em replied. "Emily slept right through last night. We put her down at 7pm; she woke and had a feed and change around midnight, then we didn't hear a peep from her until almost 6.30am – such a clever girl!"

"She certainly is. Rose must be pleased."

"She is, although she did have me get up at one point, just to check that Emily was still breathing."

I forced a laugh. Emmett wasn't fooled.

"Okay, Swannie, what's up? There's something going on in that head of yours."

"Oh, Em. I really don't know what to think?"

"About?"

"Jasper and Edward, my neighbours."

"Well, well, well, Miss Swan is having man trouble."

I heard a loud "oof" on the other end of the phone, some rustling, and Rosalie's voice.

"Just hand it over, McCarty. I need to talk to Bella."

I couldn't see what was going on, but I could imagine. Rose knew exactly how to keep her fiancé in check.

"Morning, Bells, what's up?"

"Rose, I don't know what to do," I told her, my throat tightening with each word as I willed tears not to tumble down my cheeks.

"Okay, sister," she said. "Get your arse over here as soon as poss."

"Thanks, Rosie," I replied. "I'll be there within the hour."

I needed to talk things over with someone and Rose was just the clear-headed person to help me out. I hoped.


	23. Chapter 23

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-three – Hello, lovely people! Thanks for the comments on Chapter 22; you did seem to have one or two things to say! I don't generally ask for reviews, but I am interested in how you think it's going._

 _Anyhow, here is Chapter 23 – perhaps it will explain a little more about Bella's thought processes._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-three**

Emmett was waiting by the door as I pulled up to the house.

"Bellybutton," he yelled, pulling me into one of his massive hugs.

"Shush!" Rose thumped Emmett on his arm. "Emily is having a snooze and I don't want you to wake her; I think she might be cutting a tooth. Go and do something useful; put the kettle on."

Emmett plodded off to the kitchen to make drinks.

"How're you doing, Bells?" Rose asked, linking her arm through mine. "What's got you all worked up?"

"My neighbours."

"Oh, what's happened now? Have you and the hottie hooked up again?"

"Rose, we didn't…"

"Come now, Miss I'm-all-Innocent, you didn't go the whole way but you certainly did 'stuff.' Don't try to deny it."

"I'm not…I mean, I am…aarrgghhh." I let out a scream.

"Shut it, Swan. Emily, remember."

"Sorry, Rose, but she does have Em as a dad."

"So, you and Jasper?"

"Nope."

Rose looked suitably puzzled.

"Oh, please, Bella, not the hyphenated one; he has a serious superiority complex."

"Well, no, not really."

She raised her eyebrows and threw me 'the look.'

"Not really? What's going on, Swan, spit it out."

"You know I went to dinner with him, as a friend, to meet with some of his clients?"

"Em might have mentioned it," she said. "Whatever possessed you?"

"He's a nice guy, not at all how he seems."

"Did something happen after dinner?"

"Yeah, kind of…"

"I knew it! Isabella Swan, playing the field with brothers. What the hell are you doing, woman? It can only end badly."

"Wait a minute, Rose, before those conclusions you've drawn run right away with you. I'm not playing the field with anyone."

"You said something happened."

"Not what you think, though. The dinner with Edward was delicious, although his clients were creepy and weird. We left early and went for a drink…before you ask, we had coffee and we talked; that's all. When we got back, I'm pretty sure he was going to kiss me _and then_ I noticed Ali's car still on my drive."

"Was it not meant to be there?"

"She'd come over after school to help me with my hair and was about to leave when Jasper showed up."

"I thought you were going with Edward?" Rose said.

"Yeah, I was. Edward was waiting for me in the hall and Jasper came to the back door."

"You do realise that this is sounding more and more like a French farce don't you?"

"I just didn't want another row breaking out. So I hurried Edward out of the front door while Alice dealt with Jasper at the back door."

Rose was smirking.

"It's not funny, Rose."

Rose giggled. "It's not funny, Bella, it's completely hilarious. It could only happen to you."

"Do you want to hear what happened, or not?" I might have sulked a little.

"Go on."

"So, Ali's car was on the drive and I was worried – the house was in darkness."

"Woooooooo," wailed Rosalie. "Spppp poooky!"

I threw her my best teacher look and she stopped.

"I put on the lounge lights and discovered Alice and Jasper on my sofas."

"Oh my God!" shrieked Rose. "Were they doing the deed on your new sofa? They were, weren't they? What did you do?"

"Rosalie Hale, you're not listening. I said sofas, plural, not sofa. Ali was asleep on one and Jasper was on the other."

"Are you sure they were asleep and not just pretending, you know, to cover their guilt?"

I could tell that Rose was enjoying this.

"Apparently they got talking, lost track of time and dozed off."

"Yeah, right!" said Rose, sarcastically.

"That's what I thought to begin with. But then…I think Alice was telling the truth. She also let slip that Jasper really likes me."

"Bella, you already knew that."

"I know, Rose, but I felt irrationally out of sorts that they'd spent the evening together."

"That's a bit rich, considering you'd just been wined and dined by Edward."

"I'm such a cow," I moaned. "I like them both, for different reasons."

"What about Mister M-C?"

"He wants to take me on a proper date."

"But what do _you_ want, Bella?"

"I don't know, Rose," I wailed. "I don't want to cause a rift between them; they've only just begun to be civil to one another after a 3-year estrangement."

"Thing is, Bella, you need to decide what you _do_ want. Are you happy as you are? If that's the case, then fine, but don't keep 2 nice men dangling and, whatever you do, do not play them off against each other."

"I don't mean to, Rose; I thought I was being friendly, a good neighbour." I could feel tears on my face and I hated feeling this way.

"And you are, Bells. You are kind and caring, bright and intelligent with a personality that draws people to you. Your friends love you, your students look up to you – the only one who doesn't see you clearly is you."

"I try so hard, though. But how can I be lovable if…"

"Don't you dare," Rose growled.

I knew she was right. Digging up my history with men, firstly my father, then 'he who must not be named' wouldn't serve any purpose. The problem was my self-worth. Intellectually, I could accept that I have value, but my heart, my feelings didn't always match my intellect.

As I was thinking I felt the warm embrace of Emmett, whose reappearance I'd totally missed.

"Oh, Bellybutton," he said. "What am I going to do with you?"

I cuddled in further and sighed.

"Listen, Little One," Emmett whispered. "You know that Rosie, Emily and I love you to bits."

I nodded.

"And we wouldn't hurt you for the world."

I nodded again and sniffed.

"But we're worried, lovely, and we don't know how best to help you. How do you feel about talking to someone? Like you did before – it was helpful then, perhaps it will be now. Maybe they'd help you to figure out what you do want? Will you, at least, think about it? Please?"

"I'll try."

"You deserve the best, Little One. We love you and we want to see you whole and happy and fulfilled, whatever shape that takes for you. Maybe it's time?"

I nodded once more, safe in the warmth of Emmett's arms.

"Well, look who's here," he boomed. "Did you have a nice nap, darling girl? Have you come to see your Auntie Bellybutton?

I turned to see Emily reaching out her arms towards me, a little grin on her baby face. I took her from her mum.

"You okay?" Rose asked.

"I will be," I said. "I will be."

T – C – D

Tanya Denali had experienced life. At the age of thirty-seven, she'd been widowed, leaving her the lone parent of 3 young children.

After the initial shock and a period of mourning, she'd taken up the offer of counselling which had helped her immensely. She regained some of her former vigour and, as time passed, recognised a calling to help others; when the children grew more independent, she enrolled in a part-time degree and began to study counselling.

Always a hard-worker, Tanya passed her degree with first-class honours and set up in practise, working from home, with hours to suit her family life.

Now, her children having flown the nest, she'd gained more diverse qualifications and was running a large, successful practise employing several other counsellors and therapists.

Tanya looked at the screen on her laptop, searching out her next appointment and saw the name, Isabella Swan. She smiled.

Bella Swan had been one of her first clients; she recalled a lovely young woman, lacking confidence in herself, but with a huge heart and a great deal to offer. They'd had a series of sessions and Bella went away, positive that she could make some changes. Now, almost 7 years later she was back. Tanya was curious.

When Bella entered Tanya's consulting room, she smiled at the older woman.

"Hello, Bella," said Tanya, rising from her chair to greet her with a hug. "It's been a while. How are things?"

Bella sat down in a comfy armchair and sighed.

"Take your time, Bella. The next hour is all yours." Tanya sat quietly, observing Bella's demeanour.

Bella bit her bottom lip and clasped her hands together in her lap. It was difficult to know where to begin.

"I've just bought my own house," she blurted out.

Tanya nodded and smiled. Bella knew the way things worked; counsellors were not there to provide the answers. Their job is to help the client work things out for themselves.

It's complicated and I don't know what to do?"

"With the house?" asked Tanya.

"No, not the house; the house is perfect. It's my neighbours."

"What about your neighbours, Bella?"

"They're lovely, both of them."

"And that makes things complicated?"

"Yeah. I met Jasper first and we got on really well, helped one another out when we moved in, you know?"

"Sounds good."

"He _is_ lovely. He's a Lecturer in Environmental Sciences at the Uni and he stands up for what he believes in. He's bright and intelligent and witty and caring; oh, and he's charming and good looking, too."

"Okay," said Tanya. "You said neighbours, not neighbour."

"Mmm." Bella sat quietly for a few moments, gathering her muddled thoughts.

"Edward was pretty awful the first time I met him, so arrogant and uptight; he made me mad as hell, he was so supercilious. The way he spoke to people was just dreadful."

"How about now?"

"Well, he and Jasper had this massive row at my house, then Edward apologised and I saw a totally different side to him. He's loosened up, he's a real gentleman and he's great company."

"So, you have two lovely neighbours?"

"Uh-huh – oh, and they're brothers."

"Nice to have family close by," said Tanya.

"Oh, they didn't think so in the beginning. They'd had a falling out 3 years ago and hadn't spoken in all that time. I didn't know they were brothers, so, I invited them to supper. I was so embarrassed and then they began arguing. I ended up asking them both to leave."

"How did that make you feel, Bella?"

"I was livid. Here I was, trying to be a good neighbour, and they started fighting in my home. It was like seeing the children at school, arguing in the playground.

"They both came round, separately, to explain and apologise. I accepted, of course. It started to get even more complex when I went for a drink with Jasper and we got…friendly."

Tanya just nodded. I knew if I didn't explain, she'd start asking probing questions.

"We didn't sleep together," I told her. My words tumbled out in a rush.

"Okay," she replied, calm as ever.

"We did get rather intimate, though. I suppose we got a bit carried away. Jasper had come out of a long term relationship relatively recently and I…I suppose I enjoyed his company and the attention."

"It's okay to enjoy those things, Bella."

"I know, but I think I kind-of led him on."

"Did you, Bella?"

"Well, I didn't say no; I was enjoying our time together and he's a truly, lovely man."

"Two single people spending time together isn't a crime."

"I know. But then Edward asked me for a favour – to accompany him to a dinner with clients. I agreed, of course. I wanted to help him out. His guests were rather odd, but he and I had a fabulous time; we left early and went for coffee. Talking to Edward is so easy."

"That's nice."

"But when we got back, my friend Alice was still at my house…with Jasper. I know I'd been out with Edward, but I felt really jealous."

"Are you and Jasper committed to one another?"

"No, but I know he likes me; he told me so. I suppose I sort-of fudged an answer about wanting friendship. I think he wants more. So I was shocked he was with Ali."

"Do you know what they were doing?"

"Talking," I replied. "I didn't believe them, at first. I was sure they must have been up to more. I was pretty awful to them, really. Oh, God, I'm such a horrible person."

Before tears had chance to run down my face, I grabbed a tissue from the ever-present box and wiped fiercely.

"And now Edward has told me he really likes me and asked me out on a date."

"Have you accepted?"

"No. I don't know what to do. I really like them both, but I don't want to get in between them – they've only just begun talking again. I don't want either of them to hate me."

"You know that I can't tell you who to choose, don't you, Bella?"

"I know."

"But I suspect this runs deeper than that." Tanya smiled sympathetically.

"I don't really think I'm worthy of either of them, Tanya. I mean, my own dad – who's supposed to love me unconditionally – doesn't think I'm good enough, so why would these men?"

I wiped my eyes again.

"Is it possible they see something you don't?"

"I don't know." I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe, I suppose."

"Are either of them like your dad?"

"No, not in the slightest." I paused.

"I suppose I don't want either of them to think badly of me. I couldn't bear it if they hate me."

"Why would they hate you, Bella?"

"I don't know…"

"Maybe, this isn't about how either one of these men think about you," suggested Tanya.

"You're going to tell me it's more to do with how I feel about myself…"

"Am I?" Tanya smiled enigmatically.

"I want to have normal relationships," I stated emphatically. "I'm fed up of feeling this way. I don't want to spend the rest of my life alone."

"There's no reason why you should," Tanya said.

"I don't know how, though. I'm a terrible judge of men; I don't relate well…at all!"

"Is that really the truth?"

I hesitated before responding, forcing myself to acknowledge what _I knew_ rather than how I felt.

"The truth is, I've not really let myself get close…emotionally close…to anyone…"

"And you know why that is, don't you?"

"Because my experiences with significant men have been negative."

"Uh-huh."

"Well, not all. There's Emmett."

"Your friend, Emmett."

I had a lightbulb moment.

"Perhaps, that's why I keep telling them – and myself – that we're friends…" I mused.

"Why's that?"

"Because I can deal with friends. I'm so scared of being let down or not good enough, or rejected…" I gulped.

"…that I don't allow myself to feel, because I don't want to feel broken."

Tanya grinned.

"You always were insightful, Bella. You know yourself better than you care to admit. You just need a little nudge sometime."

"I'm still scared, though."

"Life is full of risks, Bella. To insulate yourself against the chance of love, just in case you get hurt, is understandable, but could leave you lonely in the long term. You have to decide which is more important to you."

I nodded. I knew I'd have a lot of thinking to do.

"Bella."

"Yes, Tanya?"

"Don't overthink it, lovely. Okay?"

"Yes, Tanya."

"And let's have a couple more sessions together and work on those self-esteem issues?"

"I'll make an appointment on the way out."

 _So, Miss Bella has issues … you have issues … I have issues … all part of this thing called life! I happen to know that Tanya Denali is an excellent counsellor and therapist – I feel hopeful for Bella's rapid progression ;)_


	24. Chapter 24

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-four – Hello, lovelies_ _Hope your week has been splendid this far! Thanks, as ever, for reading and reviewing. So, on we go … some very positive news this chapter … and a bit of a blip!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-four**

The evenings were beginning to draw in and the October half-term was rapidly approaching. I'd seen quite a bit of both Jasper and Edward on a purely friends basis; I was honest with myself and with them, I wasn't ready for any kind of romantic relationship until I'd worked through some of my own issues. Surprisingly, they'd taken it very well and were both interested in how the counselling was going.

They were beginning to make some inroads with their relationship, too. Instead of scurrying away if the other appeared within a short distance, they would acknowledge one another with a wave or a hello.

"It's our mum's birthday on the twenty-third," said Jasper, as he sat in my lounge with a beer one evening.

"Are you planning anything special?" I asked.

"Well…" Jasper paused and scratched his chin. "I did think about asking Ed if we should take mum and dad out to supper."

"What a great idea!" I enthused. "Do you think Edward would be up for it?"

"I think he might. We've not got back to where we were yet, but we can be in the same room without wanting to hurt one another."

"That's excellent," I said. "Your mum would be thrilled."

"That's what I thought. It'd be a far better gift than flowers or chocolates."

"I'm really chuffed for the two of you," I said. "Family is important; we should never take it for granted. When will you ask Edward?"

Jasper pulled his mobile phone from his pocket and activated the screen.

"No time like the present," he said. "Would you mind awfully if I asked him over? I know it's a bit of a cheek, but it's…"

"…easier to talk with a third party around." I finished his sentence.

"Go ahead, Jasper, it's fine by me. I think his car is on the drive."

I excused myself to use the bathroom, while Jasper made the call. When I came back downstairs, Jasper had a smile on his face.

"Good news?"

"Yeah, he'll be round in five," Jasper said.

Sure enough, almost exactly 5 minutes later, the doorbell rang; Edward hated being late for _anything_.

"Hi, Edward," I said as he came into the room. "How are you doing?"

"Pretty good, thanks," he replied. "We're making a bit of progress with the Dark Side."

"Steady on there, Edward," said Jasper. "No need to go down that route!"

"It's okay, little brother." Edward smiled at his sibling. "I'm not going off the rails just yet. This is a company we're investigating; it's called The Dark Side."

It was good to see the two of them attempting to relax and put the past behind them.

"Beer, Edward?" I asked.

"Love one, thanks," he replied. "So, Jas, you said you wanted to run something past me?"

"I do. You know it's mum's birthday soon?"

"The twenty-third, week after next," Edward said.

"Well, I wondered how you'd feel about the two of us taking her and the old man out for dinner."

"I think she'd love it. Good idea, Bro."

Jasper smiled as if he'd won the National Lottery.

"Any thoughts where we should go?" Jasper asked.

"I don't think she'll mind, to be honest. She'll be so happy we're all celebrating together."

"Which restaurants are good?"

"Bear with me, Jas, I want to run something by you. How about I invite mum to my place, then we surprise her by you being there as well?"

"I like the way you're thinking, Eddie."

"We could order dinner, have it delivered."

"Or…" I butted in. "You could let me cook for you all."

"You don't need to do that, Bella," Jasper said.

"We wouldn't expect you to do that," Edward agreed.

"I know that neither of you expect it," I said. "But I'd kill to make a mess of Edward's state-of-the-art kitchen. I could even bake a birthday cake. Go on; let me, let me, let me!"

"No need to beg, Bells," said Jasper.

"Not at all," said Edward. "Especially if it means we get to eat one of your delicious meals."

"But we're buying the shopping."

"And doing the washing up."

"I definitely won't argue over that," I said. "Even if it only means you load the dishwasher."

"That's decided then," Edward said.

I went to the fridge and grabbed some more beers. We toasted the plan.

"Cheers!" we all said.

We talked for the next hour or more, throwing ideas around. It was the first time I'd seen the Cullen's act like brothers and I liked it. I promised myself there and then that I'd do my best to make Esme's birthday one to remember.

T – C – D

It was heart-warming to see Edward and Jasper begin to rebuild their relationship over a common cause – making their mother, but in reality both parents, happy.

I made sure I asked about Esme's favourite foods and things she really didn't like, too. It turned out that both she and Carlisle, her husband, weren't fussy eaters and would likely enjoy anything I prepared.

After much discussion, we finally settled on a very traditional menu, one that Esme and Carlisle particularly enjoyed; roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings, followed by a light, yet decadent, triple chocolate mousse.

The twenty-third of October fell on a Saturday, two days after we broke up for half term. As both Edward and Jasper were inclined to over-fill the shopping trolley at the supermarket, I gave them the task of sorting out drinks and making sure the table was nicely set. I left them watching a football match on T.V. with strict instructions to make sure that beers were chilled and wine suitably rested or chilled. I knew I'd find the things I needed more quickly without the two of them dithering around, trying to be helpful.

First stop was the local butcher, where I collected the fore rib of beef I'd ordered earlier in the week. The farm shop was next; I chose local produce wherever I could, potatoes, parsnips, carrots and greens. I was also able to pick up some free range eggs.

Finally, I headed to the supermarket. With my list in my hand, I pushed the trolley up and down each aisle in a methodical way.

"Well, hello Isabella."

I was in the bakery section when I heard the familiar, menacing voice. I'd not run into him since the meal out with Edward and I'd have been quite happy never to have seen him again. However, I'd been brought up with good manners so I replied politely.

"Good morning, Mister Hunter," I said.

"Come now, Isabella; it's James to my friends."

I didn't want to be his friend, or anything else for that matter, so I kept quiet and gave a slight nod.

"You're looking good," James said. "You've not changed your mind yet?"

"Not at all," I replied. "Teaching is enough of a challenge for me, thanks."

"Shame," James reached across my trolley, running a bony finger down the back of my hand. I quickly pulled it away.

"Don't be like that, Isabella. You certainly weren't coy with Masen-Cullen."

"We're friends and neighbours Mist… _James_." I told him.

"We could be friends; very good friends," James whispered, attempting to make himself sound seductive. It only served to turn my stomach.

"Let me take you to dinner, Isabella; just the two of us."

I took a deep breath, willing myself to remain calm.

"It's very kind of you to offer, James, but I must decline. I don't date married men."

"That's not what I…you know what? Never mind!" he said.

He looked at his, very expensive, wristwatch.

"Well, I don't have all day; I'm meeting Tori in five." He grabbed my wrist.

"But mark my words, Isabella Swan, you will see me again. I can be _very_ persuasive. Enjoy your meal this evening."

I was badly shaken by the encounter, but I managed to finish the shopping and drive home. I went straight to Edward's house.

Edward came out to help with the bags.

"Are you okay, Bella?" he asked. "You look awfully pale."

I opened my mouth to tell him what had happened but no words came. Instead I found myself gasping for air, feelings of panic overwhelming me. I closed my eyes to try and dismiss the black spots on the inside of my lids and then everything went still.

"Bella!" I could hear Jasper's voice. "Bella, come back to us, sweetie."

"It's okay, Bella, we've got you; you passed out." That voice belonged to Edward.

"Just relax; take your time." Jasper again.

"I'm going to put a cool flannel on your forehead." Edward's voice was soothing.

With a certain amount of effort, I opened my eyes to see two, very concerned looking, friends hovering above me. I tried to sit up; I was on Edward's sofa.

"Slowly, or you'll be dizzy," said Jasper, handing me a glass of iced water.

I took a few sips and felt a little better.

"What happened, Bella? Can you tell us?" asked Edward. "Are you feeling ill?"

I shook my head and took a little more water.

"I met James Hunter in the supermarket. He asked me out. When I refused, he grabbed my wrist and told me he could be persuasive. Then he mentioned the meal this evening; how could he know about that, Edward?"

Edward looked so furious I wouldn't have been surprised to see steam issue from his ears. He clenched his fists and his knuckles turned white with the effort of restraining himself from punching something.

"Bastard!" He hissed. "I won't let him hurt you, Bella. Try not to worry."

"I suspect he put two and two together from looking at the contents of your trolley," said Jasper.

"I hope that was all it was," I uttered. "That man scares me."

"Make a complaint; tell the police," Jasper suggested.

"I can't really report him for talking to me in a public place, although if he does it again, I will."

"Good girl," said Jasper, planting a kiss on the top of my head.

I finished my glass of water and slowly stood up. I felt better. Then I tried a couple of tentative steps towards the kitchen.

"You don't have to do this, Bella," Edward said. I could tell he was still agitated.

"I really want to, Edward, honestly. The routine of cooking will help me remain calm."

"Only if you're absolutely sure," said Jasper. "If you feel light-headed or dizzy, it's straight back to the couch for you, young lady."

For the next couple of hours, I got happily absorbed in making my mousse, roasting the beef and prepping all the side dishes. The guys kept popping in and out "for drinks" but I knew they were really keeping an eye on me.

Around 6pm my mobile phone rang. It was Alice; apparently she was knocking at my front door and getting no reply. I put my hand over the mouthpiece.

"Alice is over at mine; is it okay if I ask her to come round while I finish this?" I asked Edward.

"Of course," he said. "She can be the sous chef to your chef de cuisine."

I laughed at the thought. Alice had many talents, but cooking wasn't one of them.

I uncovered my phone and rattled off instructions. Within moments, there was a knock at the kitchen door.

"Miss Brandon, I presume?" said Edward in his 'hyphenated' voice.

"That's me," Ali squeaked in a little mouse-like voice, rather overawed by the man in front of her.

"Edward, stop being an idiot." Jasper strode into the kitchen. "Hi, Ali, come on in."

Edward stood aside with a flourish and I grinned at his over-the-top gesture.

"Alice, this is Edward; Edward, Alice. Jasper, you already know."

Introductions made, I got back to cooking while the others chatted and made drinks. I looked at the clock; 7.25pm. Esme and Carlisle were due very soon and I'd timed dinner for 8.00pm.

"I'll put these in…" I indicated to the Yorkshire Pudding batter. "…and then everything is pretty much done. The meat is resting, the roasties are finishing off and the veg needs another ten minutes. Think you can handle that? The mousse is in the fridge – you just need to spoon a blob of Chantilly cream on the side plates. Oh, and I nearly forgot, the serving plates and a jug for the gravy are in your warming drawer."

Edward and Jasper looked confused.

"Do you want me to start again? The beef is resting…"

"Bella," said Jasper.

"Stop," said Edward.

I stopped.

"Where are you going?" they both said.

"Well, I assumed I'd cook, you'd serve up, and I'd leave you two to have a lovely time with your parents. Shall we, Ali?" I indicated the back door.

"Stop right there, Swan!" Jasper barked out.

"Isabella, don't leave," said Edward. "That's to say, we'd both hoped you'd stay and have dinner, too."

"You, too, Alice," said Jasper enthusiastically.

"But it's your mum's birthday," I said.

"And you're both together," said Alice.

"Ladies, we'd be delighted if you'd stay to dinner." Edward turned on the charm.

I was about to try and refuse when the doorbell rang.

"Looks like it's too late to say no," muttered Jasper.

Alice just shrugged and smiled.

Looked like, whether I wanted to or not, I was going to meet the parents.


	25. Chapter 25

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-five – Hello, lovely readers – come celebrate Esme's birthday, with one or two surprising twists!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-five**

We could hear excited voices in the hallway, as we hid in the kitchen being as quiet as we could and trying not to giggle.

"Oh, Edward, this is such a lovely idea. Thank you for thinking of it."

That must have been Esme's voice.

"Actually, Mum, it wasn't entirely my idea."

"Pardon, Edward?" The voice sounded rather puzzled.

"Come on through to the kitchen, we'll get drinks and I'll explain," said Edward.

The door opened and a short, slender and very chic woman entered.

"The idea was mine, Ma," said Jasper, hurrying across to wrap his mum in a hug.

"Happy Birthday!"

In the emotional scene that ensued, Ali and I kept our distance, observing the Cullens coming together as a reunited family for the first time in a long time.

Esme was beaming through copious tears.

"This has to be the best birthday, ever!" she exclaimed. "My two boys."

She pulled them into a hug.

"Come on, Carl. You too." She pulled her husband into the embrace.

"I'm proud of you two." Carlisle told his sons. Then he cuffed each one of them around the ear.

"It's bloody well taken you long enough."

"Oh, Carl, leave them alone. I'm just so happy to see them being brothers again."

As she looked up, she noticed Alice and me.

"Hello there," she said. Her eyes were as round as saucers and she wore a million megawatt smile.

"Boys – where are your manners? Aren't you going to introduce us to your _friends_?"

The way she emphasised the word, suggested she thought there was so much more to it than simply friends.

"Sorry, Ma," said Jasper. "This is our neighbour, Bella Swan, and her friend, Alice Brandon."

Ali and I stepped forward and shook hands with Mister Cullen, who insisted we call him Carlisle, before moving on to offer hands to Missus C.

Esme was having none of it. She pulled Alice into a hug, before holding her at arm's length and looking her up and down.

"Perfect!" she announced.

She followed the same process with me. Releasing me from her grasp, she intimated that she'd been looking forward to finally meeting me.

"Both of my sons…independently of course..." She halted mid-sentence to throw disapproving looks to each of her boys.

"Yes, both of them have been singing your praises since they moved here. I feel as if I know you already."

She pulled me in again for a second hug.

"Thank you, my dear," she whispered in my ear. "This couldn't have happened without you."

Our little hug-fest was interrupted by the timer on the oven.

"Yorkshire Pudding," I squeaked, as I extricated myself from Esme's hug. "Dinner in five, everyone."

There was a flurry of activity as final preparations were made. The table was already set, but there was wine to be poured and hands to be washed.

When the food and plates were on the table, Edward spoke.

"I know it's my house, but dad would you do the honour of carving the beef?"

"Of course, Edward." He looked around before asking, "does everyone eat beef?"

Mister C, Carlisle, worked deftly slicing the well-rested meat; it helped that Edward had very good knives.

Everyone was served meat, and then helped themselves to roast potatoes and vegetables. I nipped out to the kitchen and returned with a platter of very well-risen Yorkshires. After a lot of ooh-ing and aah-ing, we settled down to eat.

"This is wonderful," said Carlisle. "We don't tend to have large dinners like this unless the whole family is home."

"The beef's delicious," added Esme. "Is it local?"

I nodded. "It is; the local butcher had some 21-day matured joints. I'm glad you like it."

Very soon I was practically swimming in compliments and I was struggling with all the praise.

It didn't get any easier with dessert. Thankfully, Jasper noticed and drew the conversation away from me.

"So, Pa, what did you get ma for her birthday?" he asked.

"Carl is taking me away for a long weekend." Esme butted in.

"Lovely," said Alice. "Where are you going, do you know?"

"Rome," Esme replied. "I've never been but I've always wanted to go."

"It's a beautiful place. I spent a couple of months there one summer, nannying for a family, making some money for Uni."

"I've been, too," said Edward. "A business trip, but I extended the visit so I could see the sights."

Ali and Edward enthused about Rome for quite some time, while Esme and Carlisle listened intently.

"You ever been?" I asked Jasper.

"Nope!" he replied. "Looks like we're the odd ones out."

I giggled.

"But if you're ever up for visiting, let me know. We could be travel buddies like students do in summertime. Maybe we should do inter-rail."

I laughed this time.

"Yeah, yeah! You, me and a bunch of eighteen year olds – talk about a busman's holiday…"

"What's got you two grinning?" Esme asked.

"We were talking about travelling," said Jasper. "The sort of thing students do, you know?"

"Like buying a rail ticket and travelling round Europe with one small backpack." I pulled a face. "I think I'll pass on that, thanks very much."

"Did Jasper tell you about his Gap Year?" Esme grinned conspiratorially.

"Please, ma…not that tale again." Jasper groaned.

"Jasper volunteered to work with the Big 5 Wildlife Conservation Group in South Africa."

"That sounds fabulous," I said.

"It was," replied Jasper. "I got to do all kinds of research and conservation work."

"Tell Bella about the Bush Craft training, bro," said Edward.

Jasper rolled his eyes.

"We all had to have continuous training to make sure we were safe to work in a big game environment. We had to do things like identify animal tracks, know the different animals and their behaviours…that sort of thing."

"It all sounds really interesting to me."

"Thank you, Bella. It really was fascinating."

"Until the practical joke," said Edward. "You can't leave that part out."

"I wish I could," muttered Jasper. "But I know I'll get no peace until I've spilled the beans. So, we'd been learning about elephants and a few days later we were sent out to one of the research stations to do a bird count. Well, I was in a pop-up hide, minding my own business when there was an almighty noise, exactly like a herd of stampeding elephants."

"Oh, my goodness! How awful! What did you do?"

"Well, we were told that if an animal charged, the best thing to do was to stay still. At the risk of being flattened in my tent, I did stay put and waited until the noise passed. When everything was calm, I came out of my hide, only to be greeted by the rest of the team with a portable tape machine and a video recorder."

Everyone round the table laughed.

"It's not _that_ funny," said Jasper. "I was young and naïve."

"It's the sort of thing that could happen to anyone," I said. I felt as if I had to stick up for my friend.

"Thanks, Bells." He leaned in and planted a kiss on the side of my face.

"Awww." Esme smiled at her youngest son.

"There must be an equally interesting story about Edward, surely?" Alice asked her face full of curiosity.

Carlisle spoke.

"The truth is that Edward never once stepped out of line; he was an exemplary student. The only excess he could be accused of was too much time spent with his nose in a book."

"It wasn't really like that; I went out, had a few drinks and stuff. You just _thought_ I was always studying."

"So you were actually a bad boy, Ed?" Alice was full-on teasing now. "There's definitely something about bad boys."

Edward grinned and winked in an exaggerated way.

The meal continued in good humour. It was clear that Esme was delighted to have her family together again and she seemed especially interested in Alice and me.

"So, Bella," she asked. "Are you looking forward to the football?"

"I really am," I replied honestly. "I've only ever seen it on the telly before."

"I'm afraid I've been a football widow since I met Carl." She smiled indulgently at her husband.

"You could always come with me," he offered.

"And deny Edward the opportunity? As if?"

"Do you all go, then?" asked Alice.

"Well, I've got 2 season tickets," said Carlisle. "The plan was for Es and me to go together. We thought that, as the boys had flown the nest, it was something we could enjoy together."

"Good call," I added.

"Uh-huh, you'd think so, wouldn't you? It worked for a little while, until Jasper came back from the states."

"Well, what would any mother do?" asked Esme. "He tried to buy a ticket, but they sell out so quickly."

"So ma let me use hers."

"Then Edward returned, too," added Carlisle. "So we've had to set up a rota for the second season ticket; at least until the boys can get their own."

"I'm on the list, dad," said Edward.

"Me, too," agreed Jasper. "I'm hoping for next season."

"Then perhaps I'll get to go along again," said Esme. "Do you remember when Edward refused to go, Carl?"

Carlisle chuckled.

"I do. He told us he couldn't possibly go to a game that ruffians played; he'd rather watch a gentleman's game."

"Which game was that?" asked Ali.

"Rugby!" Carlisle and Esme chorused, before collapsing into laughter.

"I told him then it was the wrong shaped ball, but he wasn't having it. Fortunately he fell off his high horse and deigns to accompany his old man on occasion nowadays."

I looked across at Edward who was blushing slightly. Alice put her hand on his arm and leaned in to say something. I pushed down the feeling of irritation and gave my full attention to the conversation that was carrying on.

Carlisle and Jasper were discussing different players and their performance so far this season. The debate got rather heated until Esme intervened and told them to simmer down.

"Are they always like this?" I asked Esme.

She nodded and smiled.

"The Cullen men are passionate about the things they love, although I sometimes have to remind them that it's only a game."

"Only a game?" roared Jasper.

"Esme Cullen, those words you uttered might well be grounds for divorce!" said her husband.

Esme giggled. She'd obviously heard those words before.

"Champagne and cake!" announced Edward, getting up from his place at the table.

"I'll help," said Alice, jumping up and following him into the kitchen. I successfully slayed the green-eyed monster once more, and chatted to Jasper, Esme and Carlisle. I'd told both Jasper and Edward that I only wanted friends and that was what I was getting. I had no right to feel jealous if they chose to have girlfriends. I was just pondering if Alice might be getting close to Edward, when there was a commotion.

The dimming of the lights announced the entry of Esme's cake, generously lit with candles. Alice led a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday to You, before encouraging Esme to blow out the candles. As soon as the flames were extinguished, Ali threw her arms around Esme's neck and hugged her wishing her a very happy day.

Edward put down the tray of glasses and picked up the champagne, deftly popping the cork and pouring it.

When everyone had a glass in their hands, Carlisle proposed a toast.

"To Esme; the best wife and mother anyone could have. Happy Birthday, sweetheart."

Glasses clinked and we all drank.

"Who'd like cake?" asked Alice, taking over slicing duties after Esme had made the first cut.

She served Esme first, then Carlisle.

"Just a little for me, please." I asked.

"I'll take whatever size comes my way," said Jasper, which made everyone laugh.

"What?" he queried. "I love cake. What's wrong with that?"

"This is delicious," Esme declared. "Did you make it, Alice? What a clever girl."

"I can't take credit," Ali said. "Bella's the one who organised this. I just helped where I could."

"I'm sure you were very helpful. Bella, this cake is marvellous; thank you so much for making my birthday so special."

"You're very welcome," I answered.

"Let's take the rest of this into the lounge," suggested Edward.

As more champagne was drunk, the conversation got louder. I'd had one glass of wine and a sip of champagne but had stopped after that. I noticed that Edward wasn't drinking either.

"Let's dance!" suggested Esme. "That's okay, isn't it darling?"

Edward grinned and nodded at his mum.

"Yeah, dancing," said Alice, who was rather tipsy. "Dance with me, Edward."

Edward pressed a few buttons on his music system before Alice grabbed him and pulled him close. Esme and Carlisle were smooching while moving around. I looked at Jasper, who'd dozed off in the corner of the sofa. I took the opportunity to slip away quietly.

Back in my own little house I began to think. I may have said that I could only handle friends but I was beginning to think that perhaps, just maybe, I was wrong.


	26. Chapter 26

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-six – Woo-hoo! I give you – Chapter 26 - there might be some interesting developments!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-six**

I didn't sleep well. I'd tossed and turned, on and off, all night. My body was tired and aching, but my brain refused to switch off.

At around 5.30am, I gave up and clambered out of bed. I may as well do something useful; the pile of marking downstairs was uninspiring, but if I got it done, I'd have the rest of the week to myself.

The sound of a car made me stop in my tracks. I peeped out from behind my curtains to see Alice's car reversing off my drive. She must have stayed the night. I slumped onto the sofa and pulled a throw over my lap.

She must have stayed the night. _You already thought that._

Why did she stay the night? _Well that's simple, everyone had been drinking._

Where did she stay the night? Edward's place? Jasper's? _Well, she didn't sleep in the car._

Who, if anyone did she stay with? _Do you really want to know?_

No, not really. Why am I so bothered? Edward and Jasper are both single, as is Ali. They're free to do whatever they want; it's none of your business. _You go on thinking that._

I'm lying to myself, aren't I? _Yes, Bella, you really are._

I like him. _You do._

I like him, like him. _Yup._

Now what do I do? _What do you want to do?_

I'm pretty sure he likes Alice though. _What gives you that impression?_

I saw the way they looked at one another. _Are you sure about what you saw?_

I know what I saw, thank you. They were with each other most of the evening. _Sometimes appearances can be deceptive, Bella._

Perhaps, I'm just jealous, wanting something that I can't have because it's safe. _Well, if that's what you really think, you don't need me to help you work it out._

It's not what I really think. _I know, Bella. You're afraid._

More than afraid; I'm terrified. _He's nothing like Jacob Black._

I've let my experience with him scare me off men. I never want to feel like that, ever again. _There's no reason why you would._

But… _But what, Bella? Is he married? Going out with anyone?_

Not that I know…yet, but maybe Alice? _Then why was she leaving just now?_

I don't know. Perhaps, so she doesn't offend Esme and Carlisle? _Do they seem like the easily offended type?_

Well, no, I don't think so… _Aren't both sons fully grown and independent?_

Well, yes, but the two of them speaking again is a big deal. It is. _Don't you think you might have had a hand in that?_

I made a mess of things, inviting them both over. _Did you? Really? Do you think they'd have got together if they hadn't upset you?_

Maybe. Eventually… _You know that's not true._

Well it's made things difficult for me? _Has it? Why?_

Because now they're my friends. _And that's difficult because…?_

Because I don't want to lose either of them. _Is there a reason you would?_

Well, suppose I went out with him…as more than a friend? _Yes, and…?_

And it didn't work out. _Well, there's never any guarantee you know that._

But I might lose both of them. _Because?_

Because they're family and family sticks together. _In general, yes, but what if you were welcomed into that family? What if it all worked out?_

Do you think it could? _What do you think, Bella? Do you like him enough to take the risk?_

We get along really well. _You do!_

He makes me smile. _You make him smile, too, just in case you hadn't noticed._

He's very attractive. _I think the feeling is mutual._

He's intelligent, too. I could listen to him for hours and hours. _He does have a sexy voice._

Oh, yes. He makes me feel…mmm…breathless, I suppose. _You have quite the effect on him, too._

He's such a gentleman. _His mum and dad brought him up properly._

They did. I really liked them. _They seemed quite taken with you, too._

Do you think so? _I'm sure so!_

Perhaps they were just being polite? _Oh, come off it, Bella. They were more than polite._

Yeah.

I halted the conversation I'd been having with myself. I had a dilemma but I also had options. All I had to decide was if he was worth the risk.

I thought through my circumstances. I was fundamentally happy with my life and my choices, but I'd always hoped that, one day, I'd have a family of my own and someone to share my life with.

I pulled the throw I'd crocheted up to cover my shoulders and huddled down. I fell asleep in a whirl of worries and hopeful thoughts.

T – C – D

The doorbell rang 3 times before I realised where I was. I got up and went to the door.

"Isabella, you must think I'm awful; I just wanted to come round and thank you for last night."

Esme Cullen was the last person I expected to find on my doorstep.

"Come on in," I said. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Coffee. Black please, dear," she replied. "I think I may have overindulged a little last night."

"You have to celebrate on your birthday," I told her.

I made drinks and showed her through to the lounge where we sat down.

"This is lovely, Bella," she said, waving her hand around my room. "Very homely."

I smiled.

"I wanted it to be cosy and relaxing," I said. "And to reflect who I am. It's my first proper home."

"You should be very proud of it."

I nodded and took a sip of hot tea.

"Anyway, as I was saying, I wanted to come round and thank you."

"It was my pleasure, honestly. I love to cook."

"I can tell," said Esme.

"I was dying to use Edward's kitchen, too." I added. "It's amazing."

"I'm not sure he knows what to do with it," she said.

"He can learn more," I said.

"I didn't just come over to say thank you for the food, you know."

I shrugged my shoulders slightly.

"Isabella, my boys are very precious to me. It almost broke my heart when they fell out over something so stupid. But, they're pig-headed like their father. Once something gets stuck in their brain, well…" Esme shook her head in despair.

"It took you to make them see how it had escalated into something ridiculous."

"I'm flattered, but I didn't do anything special Esme."

"Oh, Miss Swan," Esme sighed. "You didn't have to do anything special. You just had to be yourself. Anyone can see how much you care about other people; it's in everything you do."

I nodded, trying to stop my eyes from welling up.

"When was the last time you let anyone care about you, Bella?" she asked.

"I…umm…I'm not really that great at relationships," I told her.

Before I could say anything else, she'd crossed the room and wrapped me in a hug. I spent the next 10 minutes sobbing on her shoulder.

"I'm s…s…s…so sorry," I sobbed.

"Don't be silly, Bella. You haven't done anything wrong."

"I…I…I've got your shoulder all wet."

"That doesn't matter," said Esme. "You matter more than a damp shoulder."

"Th…th…thank you, Esme," I choked out. "I'm s…s…so pathetic!"

"Isabella Swan."

I was quite shocked at the stern tone of voice.

"You are many, many things, but pathetic is NOT one of them. My boys are good judges of character and they've done nothing but sing your praises. You have shown them kindness and compassion and I'm pretty sure that's how you treat everyone."

I nodded through my tears. "I try to."

"And you succeed, lovely girl, you do. Trust me, I'm a mother – I know these things."

I tried to smile, but failed.

"Come now, Bella," she said, rubbing my back. "What would your mum say if she saw you like this?"

"I don't think she'd know what to say," I said. "I think she'd probably buy me a present to try and cheer me up."

Esme pulled me close again.

"Do they live nearby, your parents?"

"No, they live up North," I said. "I don't see them often."

"By choice?"

"Kind of," I explained. "My dad thinks I'm a disappointment. Nothing I ever do is good enough for him. I understand why, of course; he had a really difficult childhood so he wanted the best for me. I just never quite lived up to his expectations, I guess. As an only child, I think the disappointment was intensified."

"Oh, you poor girl," Esme cried. "Whatever happened to your parents, it's not fair for them to take it out on you."

"It's okay," I said. "They do their best. I've made my share of bad choices."

"We all have, Bella. It's called being human. Nobody is perfect. Nobody! Hasn't your mum said anything?"

"Oh yeah, of course. Mum loves me, but she's in a tricky situation; dad's not the easiest man to live with – he's a drinker – so she tries to keep the peace. It's a bit messed up."

"I bet you support your mum, too, don't you Bella?"

I nodded as more tears fell.

"Where's your phone?" she asked.

"Please don't phone them," I said.

"I would never interfere like that; I'm just going to put my number in. I want you to promise me something."

"What's that?"

"Whatever happens – or doesn't happen – with my boys, you'll call me if you need a friend. I know you've got girlfriends and that they're supportive, but sometimes you just need a mother-figure. You're not alone, Bella."

This time it was me who reached out to hug Esme.

"Now then," she said when both our tears stopped. "Go and wash that pretty face while I put the kettle on again. We need some mother-daughter bonding time."

By the time I came back downstairs, she'd not only made a pot of tea but had rooted out some croissants from my freezer and warmed them through.

"I hope you don't mind," she said, gesturing to the items on the table. "I'm still feeling a tad hung-over. I do love champagne, but it goes straight to my head."

"I blame the bubbles," I said.

"They certainly seemed to affect your friend, Alice. One moment she was dancing with Jasper, the next she'd crashed out on the sofa and nobody could wake her; the snoring was remarkably loud for such a little girl."

"Oh, how embarrassing," I said. "She'll be mortified."

I did feel some sense of relief now that I knew what had happened and I could even feel a bit sorry for my friend.

"She's quite the bundle of energy, isn't she?"

"I don't know how she does it," I replied. "She's like that all the time. I get exhausted watching her sometimes."

"Some people are made that way," Esme told me. "One of Carlisle's cousins reminds me of the Energiser Bunny – he never stops."

I giggled.

"Perhaps he'd be a good match for Ali?" I snorted. "Sorry, that was unkind of me."

"Noooo, don't even go there. Two of them together would be a nightmare. That girl needs someone to counteract her hyperactivity."

We continued to chat while finished our tea and croissants.

"Well, my dear, I must be going. Carl will be wondering where I've got to."

"Esme, thank you…you know, for everything."

"No need for that, Bella. Just call me, okay? We can meet up for coffee."

"I'd love to."

"See you later, Bella."

"Bye for now, Esme."

I was really quite taken aback by the force that was Esme Cullen. I collected the cups and plates and loaded them into the dishwasher. I'd just closed the door on the machine, when the doorbell rang again. I wondered what Esme had left behind.

"Oh!" I said as I opened the door, "It's you."

"Good morning," he said. "Are you okay?"

"I think so. Your mum was here earlier; she came to say thank you."

"She really likes you, Bella."

"She's a lovely lady. She was so kind and helpful. Do you know she gives great hugs? Of course you do, you're her son. I'm wittering, aren't I?"

"Shhh! Let me speak. Truth is I really like you, Bella."

"You do?"

"I do. Very much. Go out with me, please? On a proper date."

I only had to think for a fraction of a second before I gave my answer.

"I'd love to, Edward."


	27. Chapter 27

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-seven – Thanks for your kind comments – seems I was more obvious than I thought, but I'm glad they're giving each other a chance. Thought you might like to hear from the Cullen family – this chapter is mostly them…_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-seven**

 **EPOV**

The morning after the night before, I was the first one awake.

I went downstairs to tidy away any last traces of the evening and get things organised for breakfast. I smiled as I picked up a couple of empty glasses, thinking back to the fun we'd had.

Dad had practically carried mum upstairs, champagne-giddy, just after midnight. Alice and Jasper were asleep on opposite ends of the sofa, both snoring loudly, and Bella was nowhere to be seen.

She must have slipped away without anyone noticing and I was angry with myself for allowing that to happen. Bella deserved so much praise and so many thanks for all her efforts and we'd let her go without a word.

I'd put that right later on; perhaps take her some flowers or something. I emptied and reloaded the dishwasher and switched it on, before making myself a cup of coffee.

I was perusing the newspaper when my baby bro shambled in, looking a bit rough.

"Don't say a word," he said, holding up a hand. "Champagne does not agree with me."

"Or maybe it was the beer or the wine?" I asked.

"I didn't drink that much…did I?"

"I think the fact you have to ask clarifies it. Would you like coffee?"

"Please," said Jasper. "Make it a strong one, black."

"So," I teased. "You seemed very friendly with Alice last night."

"Jealous, bro?"

"Not a bit," I replied. "Just being curious."

"Curious? Honestly, Ed? Come on, that wasn't an innocent question. What are you really asking?"

"I wanted to know how interested you are in Alice?"

"Because?"

"Just tell me. Please, Jas, it's important."

"Okay, I like her, Ed. I'm sorry if that steps on your toes."

"I thought you liked Bella?"

"I love Bella to bits, but she made it quite clear that she doesn't want romance. I think she sees me in a more brotherly role."

"How do you feel about that?"

"What is this, Edward, an interrogation? I was gutted to begin with, okay? Bella is the kind of person that's easy to love; I thought she might be the one for me."

"But not now?"

"No. I realised, after I spent the whole night talking to Ali, that Bella was right. We're great at being friends. Alice is _different_. There's something about her that just…resonates…with me. She's bubbly and exciting and full of life."

I sighed with relief.

"So are you going to share what's going on with me, or do I need to guess?" Jasper said.

"No need for any of that, little bro," I told him. "I didn't want to pursue Bella if you were already involved. I know you like one another…"

"A while ago, maybe, but now I'm pleased for you, Ed. I think Bella likes you, too."

"Yeah?" I felt stupidly pleased at his comment.

"Yeah, especially since you stopped being such a stuffed shirt." He poked me in the chest.

"Is that my sons I hear bickering?" Mum's voice floated into the kitchen.

"Morning ma," said Jas, putting his arm around her shoulder. "How did you sleep?"

"Like a log," she responded. "Although I still think your décor is a bit blokey, Edward."

"Probably because I'm a man, mum."

We all laughed.

"I'm going over to Bella's place," mum announced. "I feel terrible that I didn't thank her properly last night."

I might have tried to persuade her otherwise but I knew it was futile. Stubbornness was a Cullen family trait.

As soon as the door closed, I turned to Jasper and pulled a face.

"What do you think she's going to say, Jas? She's not going to embarrass me, is she? Maybe I should go after her?"

I ran my hands through my hair, a nervous habit I'd had since childhood.

Jasper simply laughed, then winced as his hangover made itself known again.

"Ouch! That's sore," he said.

"Serves you right." I poked my tongue out, just like we did when we were kids.

"Perhaps I should pop round," I told my brother.

"Stop worrying, Ed. What difference do you think you could make if you did go over?"

"Umm…none!"

"Precisely. Leave the old girl to it, she may well surprise you."

My baby brother was right; the one thing neither of us could remotely doubt was the fact that our mother was our biggest supporter. She'd defend us to the hilt, even if she did tear a strip off us later, in private.

"I'm quite annoyed with myself to tell the truth." I told him.

"Why? I thought it was a brilliant evening."

"It was wonderful, all thanks to Isabella and none of us noticed when she left; I feel really bad."

Jasper frowned too.

"Shit," he swore. "We all messed that one up, for sure. No wonder Ma wanted to hurry over there."

"I hope I haven't blown my chances by neglecting to say thanks."

"I think Bella is a bit more forgiving than that." Jasper was smiling at me.

"She is; she's lovely," I sighed.

Jasper gave a full-on belly laugh.

"I never thought I'd see the day," he said.

"What day's that?" I asked.

"Oh, you've got it bad, big brother. I've never heard you sigh over a woman before."

"I'm not even sure what I'm doing, Jas. There haven't been _that_ many women in my life; I'm a bit out of my depth."

"Stop right there, Eddie-boy, before you scare yourself to death. You like Bella just as she is, don't you?"

"Of course, she's… well, she's amazing."

"And she's just being herself, so that's all you need to be."

"But I was a total idiot to her when we first met. Oh, God, what if she holds that against me?"

"Ed, you were a fucking idiot to everyone, not just to her."

I felt shame flood my body.

"You're right, Jas, but I'm not that man anymore – well, at least I'm trying not to be."

"Well, I can see a little improvement, I suppose."

Jasper charged towards me and wrestled me onto to the sofa, before groaning and holding his head.

"Serves you right; no sympathy for anything that's self-inflicted," I said.

"And he's back," sneered Jasper. "Stop being such a self-righteous arse."

"Loosen up, Jess-per; your hangover's making you grumpy."

"Fuck off, Edwina, and pass me some paracetemol and a glass of water."

"Yes, your majesty. May I ask - what did your last slave die of?"

"Sore feet. Now, get on with it Edwina; I might be dying here."

"Aw, poor little Jess-per. You always were a drama queen."

"Family trait," he replied, with a grimace on his face.

I went over to a cupboard and got him a couple of painkillers, before filling a glass with cold water.

"Here you go, Jessie. Would you like a cold flannel for your poorly head then?" I was speaking in a baby voice, teasing him.

He groaned. "I'm never drinking champagne, ever again."

"Until the next time."

"So little faith in me, Edwina," he sighed.

We both burst out laughing.

"Oh, I've missed this, little bro," I said. "We let things get out of hand."

"We both did," Jasper replied. "Actually, it was Bella who started me thinking about things."

"She got to me, too. Although it wasn't until after she found out we were related."

"We've both got a lot to be grateful for," he said.

"I'm going to be grateful to her for the rest of my life," I said.

"Oh-oh, you've got it bad, Edwina."

"I can honestly say that I've never felt like this about a woman before."

"Then you need to hold onto her, son," my dad said as he walked into the room. "Just like I did when I met your mother."

We'd heard the story many times before, so we both grinned at dad.

"Okay, okay, I'm not going to tell you again, don't worry. Is there any coffee, Edward?"

"I'll make it," I said, "Do you want another cup, Jas?"

When it was made, we three sat at the kitchen table, nursing our caffeine hit.

"Have either of you seen your mum this morning? She was up earlier than I thought, especially after last night. She gets very frisky when she's tipsy."

"Dad," I yelled, covering my ears.

"Pa, stop!" shouted Jasper at the same time.

"There are some things you should NEVER tell your kids," I said.

"You're not children any more, you're grown men." Dad went on. "And why wouldn't your mother and I have a healthy sex life…"

"Dad," Jasper roared, "We don't need to know; we don't want to know."

"That's our mother you're talking about," I reminded him.

"I have been married to her for thirty-six years, so yes I know exactly who she is. Boys, if you find the woman of your dreams, don't let her slip away. Your mother is one in a million."

"And don't you forget it," said mum. She'd obviously caught the end of our conversation as she returned.

"Morning Ma," said Jasper.

"How's your head?" she asked. "And what time did Alice leave?"

"Head's getting there and Ali left around five thirty," he replied.

"Aww, yuck, Jess-per. Please tell me you didn't get up to anything on my sofa."

He gave me the finger.

"We were asleep," Jasper said. "Then when we woke up we were talking, that's all."

"That girl could snore for England," mum said, "but I do like her. She's a proper bundle of energy, isn't she?"

Jas nodded.

"Is Bella alright?" I asked. "You were ages. I almost came over."

"She's a lovely girl, Edward. We had a real heart-to-heart. She's had a tough time."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Have we upset her? I feel so bad about not seeing her go last night…maybe I should go over now…"

"Edward, calm down and sit down." Mum used her 'don't mess with me' voice.

"Whatever Bella and I spoke about is between her and me; if she wants you to know, she'll tell you. What I _can_ say is that she's not upset with any on us, not even you Edward."

I was partly concerned, partly relieved.

Mum and dad went upstairs to gather their things ready to return home.

"Why don't you just ask her out?" Jas asked. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"She might say no. I don't know what I'd do if she did."

"If you like her as much as I think you do, you'll regroup and keep going. You've got to keep reminding yourself that she's worth it. If you think she is, of course."

I nodded my head and was about to reply when our parents came back downstairs. Dad was carrying their overnight bag.

"We'd best get going," said dad. "Got a few things to sort out when we get home."

Mum dragged Jas and me to our feet and gathered us in a huge hug.

"You two…well, you two made my birthday so special. I'm so proud of you both. Thank you for last night."

"Anything for you, Ma," said Jasper. "We love you."

"And we're sorry for being so stupid before."

"Well, don't do it again," she said, with a laugh.

"Es, love, we need to get going," dad said.

"God forbid we miss the football on the telly," mum said to Jas and I. We laughed. Some things never changed.

Goodbyes and more hugs were exchanged before our parents were on their way.

"Bro, I'm off too," said Jasper. "I need a shower and a couple of hours in my own bed."

"See you later, Jess-per. Sleep well."

"Laters, Edwina."

I managed to wait for a total of twenty minutes before I made my way to Bella's door. I think she was surprised, but not displeased, to see me.

"Oh! It's you," she said as she opened her door

"Good morning," I said. "Are you okay?"

"I think so. Your mum was here earlier; she came to say thank you."

"She really likes you, Bella."

"She's a lovely lady. She was so kind and helpful. Do you know she gives great hugs? Of course you do, you're her son. I'm wittering, aren't I?"

"Shhh! Let me speak. Truth is I really like you, Bella." I plunged right in.

"You do?"

"I do. Very much. Go out with me, please? On a proper date." I held my breath.

I waited for what seemed like forever for her response; in fact, it was probably only a few seconds.

"I'd love to, Edward."

"You would? You will? I mean, wow, that's wonderful."

She giggled and it was possibly the most beautiful sound I'd ever hear.

"Could we possibly go out this evening?" I asked. I knew I probably sounded desperate, but I was keen to see more of her.

"Well, tomorrow is a school day…no, wait; it's half-term, so yes." She was almost as flustered as I was.

"Edward?" she asked.

"Yes, Isabella?"

"Promise me something?"

"Anything."

"No Michelin stars tonight. Just you and me."

"Just you and me," I repeated. It sounded perfect.

Feeling bold, I stepped in close and kissed her softly on the cheek.

"See you later," I said.

She nodded and smiled.

I walked down my path on cloud nine. _She said yes. She really did. Isabella likes me._

I went inside and switched on my laptop. I had a very important date to organise.


	28. Chapter 28

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-eight…Hello lovelies, thanks for reading and reviewing_

 _So, on to chapter 28 – the date, part I_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-eight**

I raised my hand to my cheek, running it over the spot he'd kissed. I'd never been struck by lightning, but the surge of electricity that ran through me – even from that one small kiss – felt like a small, sharp bolt from the blue.

I felt elated and exhausted all at once. Checking the clock, I decided it would do no harm for me to return to my bed for a couple of hours, after all, I didn't want to go out with Edward with huge bags under my eyes.

I'd no sooner set my alarm, than it seemed to jolt me wake again. When I looked at the time it appeared I'd slept for an extra 3 hours. I got up, feeling much more refreshed and somewhat excited.

I'm going on a date with Edward. _You are, well done!_

I can't believe I didn't panic. _Neither can I, but you didn't; I'm really proud of you._

I just hope I can go through with it. _Well, why wouldn't you?_

Well, once bitten… _Stop it! Just remember, Edward Cullen is a different kettle of fish to Jacob Black. He is a decent human being._

I'm leaving that whole episode behind. _It's about time! Jacob might have been handsome on the outside, but what kind of man encourages the student in his care while his wife is heavily pregnant? No, forget that…the fact he was married was bad enough."_

It really was despicable. _It was; I'm glad you recognise that now._

It wasn't my fault. _I've been trying to tell you that for years. You were a naïve girl, excited to be in the classroom; you didn't recognise that predator you were working with._

That's the perfect word for him – a predator; a wolf in sheep's clothing. He seemed so plausible. _Most abusers are; he groomed you, picked on your weaknesses, told you the things you needed to hear._

But I'm better now, stronger. _And you deserve to be happy and fulfilled._

Hmm, I think Edward could be very fulfilling _. I think you're being naughty._

So what if I am? I'm a grown up. _Don't you forget it!_

My internal dialogue stopped abruptly when my phone pinged to tell me I had a text message. It was from Edward.

EMC _: Isabella, thank you for agreeing to a date; I'm beyond excited. I hope you don't mind going casual, so comfy shoes and a few layers in case it gets chilly would suit._

I responded.

Casual is fine by me. Any more clues?

EMC: _Sorry, but no; I want it to be a surprise._

Perhaps I don't like surprises?

EMC: _Too bad, Beautiful Bella. Can we go early? Say 5pm?"_

Sure, why not.

EMC: _See you then, gorgeous._

The fact that Edward had called me gorgeous had me as giddy as a kipper. I turned the radio up loud and danced around my kitchen while I grabbed a snack. He hadn't said we were eating this evening, but I couldn't imagine we wouldn't.

I spent the next couple of hours trying to focus on school work, but I couldn't. I googled Edward Masen-Cullen and found a few photos and articles about his work; one or two linked him to society women but he was never pictured with anyone. I read everything I could find.

Next I tried a game of online Scrabble, beating the computer 3 times on the trot and it was still only a little after 3pm. I could start getting ready, but I've never been particularly high maintenance and I'd only end up too early and pacing.

I gave up, went upstairs and ran a bath. I rarely bathed, much preferring to shower, but I thought it might relax me and kill some time. I re-tuned the radio and there was an afternoon play just beginning; I got so engrossed that I stayed put until the water chilled and my fingertips were wrinkled – at least it had taken my mind of my date.

Problem was, now I was running late. I towel-dried my hair before giving it a blast with the hairdryer; then I pulled it into a ponytail. I remembered that Edward had said casual, so I wore my second-best jeans, a soft, jersey, long-sleeved top and an oversized sweatshirt. My comfiest shoes were a pair of Doc Martens I'd had for years; they weren't dainty but they were definitely great for walking.

Never one for make-up at the best of times, I moisturised, added a swipe of mascara to my lashes and a dab of salve to my lips.

I decided to take a warm coat, scarf and gloves; October had been wonderful so far, the days balmy for the time of year, but the evenings could turn chilly very quickly.

I'd just made sure my keys were in my bag when the doorbell rang; Edward liked to be punctual.

"Hello. Bella; for you," he said, holding out a bunch of irises.

"Thank you, Edward, they're lovely; one of my favourites in fact. Let me pop them in some water and I'll be ready. I won't put them in a vase before we go, I'll just let them have a long drink."

I was nervous and jabbering accordingly.

"So, where are we going to go? Have you decided to take pity on me and tell me? Is what I'm wearing, okay? If it isn't I can always go and change."

"Bella…"

"I'm taking my warm coat. It's been a lovely day but now that the evenings are pulling in it can turn cold. My nanna always told me to wrap up warm, but then she was a bit over-protective."

"Bella…"

"I think I might just go and grab a hat, unless you think I won't need one. Are we likely to be indoors or outdoors? What about…"

I never did finish that sentence and as soon as I felt Edward's lips on mine I forgot what I was going to say anyway.

When Edward stepped back, I might have been rather flushed.

"Well, at least I know how to shut you up!" he exclaimed. He had a self-satisfied grin on his face.

"I…um…always talk too much when I'm nervous." I managed to sound a little more coherent now.

"No need to be nervous, Bella," he told me. "I promise to treat you like the lady you are."

I made a loud 'humph' sound which made Edward laugh.

"Come on, Bella," he said. "Let's get going; we've got a bit of a drive ahead of us."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"No, but you'll see soon enough. Now, are you coming with me or not?"

I nodded and allowed him to take my hand, using my other to close the door behind me. We walked up the path and he handed me into his car.

I was still rather shell-shocked from his kiss, so the initial part of the journey was rather quiet. Edward was focused on driving, but I was aware that he kept sneaking quick glances my way and smiling.

"This may well be a record, Miss Swan," he said.

"How do you mean?" I asked, unsure of what he might be thinking.

"Well, it's the quietest I've known you." He laughed. "Relax, Bella, we're going on a date, not a trip to the gallows. You look terrified and there's really no need. You weren't _this_ nervous when we went out with the Hunters."

"I know, but that wasn't a date; we were friends then; there was no pressure."

"I'd like to think we still are," Edward replied. "Tell you what – if the thought of a date is so scary, let's drop the label. We're just two friends enjoying getting to know one another. How does that sound?"

"Fine," I replied. "Better than fine; I mean, I'm very happy to be going on a date with you, Edward. I'm just feeling a bit…gun shy, I suppose."

"You do have some odd sayings, Bella, and for your information there are no guns involved this evening. Now, choose a radio station, relax and enjoy the drive. Stop over…"

"…analysing!" I finished the sentence for him and it seemed to break the ice. I re-tuned the audio in his car to a station playing non-stop oldies.

"I love this song," I said, turning up the volume as the dulcet tones of Scott Walker, singing about Jackie, filled the car.

"Isabella, you are certainly full of surprises; I'd have had you down as more of a 90's girl. This is way before your time; mine too."

"Hey!" I smacked his arm lightly. "I have very eclectic musical tastes, I'll have you know. I adore voices that have a certain edge to them…this song is wonderful."

"Did you know the BBC banned it from their stations when it first began?"

"No. Whatever for?"

"Apparently it was the suggestion of homosexuality in the lyrics, oh, and drug references. The Swinging Sixties weren't always as liberated as they seemed."

"But there's nothing graphic at all."

"No, but you have to remember; homosexuality was illegal until later on, and even then you had to be over twenty-one and in private."

"You seem to know a lot about this, Mister Cullen." I eyed him curiously.

"I might be a slightly obsessive collector of vinyl," he told me. "You're not the only one who enjoys good music. Thing is, I read the cover notes and get interested, so I end up researching background information. Then I have to go out and buy associated recordings."

"What's your favourite song?"

"Unfair question! That's like asking me to pick out my favourite child."

"You don't have kids, do you?" I asked, maybe just a tad nervously.

"It was a metaphor, Bella; I wasn't being literal. Stop worrying. My tastes are broad and my favourites can vary from day to day, even moment to moment, that's all I meant."

"Cool. I know what you mean, though. I can't even pick out a top twenty without changing my mind dozens of times."

The rest of the drive was much more relaxed as we discussed our favourite tunes. I was pleased to find we had many songs in common, as well as some significant differences. We agreed that The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were both ground-breaking acts, whatever age you were, and that many of their songs had stood the test of time. We sang along to the radio and swapped little nuggets of information, trying to outdo one another with our superior knowledge. After a rousing chorus of Schools Out by Alice Cooper, Edward threw a question my way.

"Alice Cooper's real name. Bella?"

I'm pretty sure he didn't expect me to know.

"Vincent Furnier," I replied. "Easy. Okay, here's one for you. Who is John Anthony Gillis?"

Edward began to hum the opening riff of Seven Nation Army.

"Jack White, of course."

"Ooo, of course." I teased. "Cocky, aren't we?"

"Stick around and you just might find out." Edward wiggled his eyebrows, another sibling thing.

"My turn," he said. "Who is Eileen Edwards?"

"Sounds like someone old school with a name like that." I decided to play him along a little bit. "Female, obviously…perhaps a bit more mature…hmmm…"

"Are you stuck, Bella? Do you need another clue?"

I had him on the ropes and decided to put him out of his misery. "I'll try a guess; is it Shania Twain?"

"You knew that, didn't you Isabella Swan?"

"Might have."

"If I wasn't driving, I'd have to punish you for your teasing, Miss Swan."

I felt another of those little tingles run through me…the Edward effect, obviously.

"Well, here we are," Edward said.

We'd pulled into a beachside car park.

"Is this okay?"

"It's perfect," I said. "I love Croham. Thanks Edward, good choice."

"I had a feeling you'd like the seaside. What would you like to do? Eat first or walk?"

I thought for a moment. "Did you have any plans for food?"

"I have a suggestion – but we don't have to do it…"

"Well, I was thinking, are you too posh for fish and chips?"

Edward laughed. His voice was deep and resonant and his eyes twinkled.

"Great minds think alike! It's exactly what I was going to suggest. There's a new place by the pier; it's getting rave reviews. You can eat in or take out, so we could decide."

We got out of the car and, feeling a sharp wind blowing in off the sea, decided to wear our coats.

"Is this okay?" Edward asked as he took hold of my hand.

"Absolutely," I said.

"Shall we?" Edward pulled me forwards and we set off towards the pier. Walking hand-in-hand beside Edward was great; I was really glad I'd accepted his offer.

 _Couple of bits and bobs to reference this chapter:_

 _Scott Walker – Jackie- if you've not heard it before, it's worth a listen watch?v=eKtZf62BQzM_

 _Billboard's 160 Pop Star's Real Names:_

 _photos/428849/160-pop-stars-real-names?i=38400_


	29. Chapter 29

_Welcome to Chapter Twenty-nine – Thanks for reading and on with the date…_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Twenty-nine**

We fell into step very easily, walking quietly side-by-side. It was pretty quiet; most of the day trippers had left and a lot of the seasonal shops had already closed up.

"I much prefer it here in the autumn and winter." I told Edward. "There's something special when it's all quiet."

Edward nodded. "Apart from the bloody seagulls; they're noisy, dirty creatures. They're the flying equivalent of rats."

"They're even more of a nightmare in the summer," I said. "They dive bomb the tourists and pinch their chips."

Right on cue, two gulls started shrieking from nearby rooftops.

"See what I mean?" Edward said. "Well, here we are."

The café was painted blue and white, rather like an old fashioned beach hut. However, inside was light, airy and modern; some of the tables had spectacular views of the pier and sea below.

"So, Miss Swan; eating in or take-away?"

I looked around and spotted a vacant table near the window.

"Would you mind if we ate in? Then we can walk it off, afterwards."

Edward asked the hostess if we could sit by the window and we were very quickly led across to the empty table. Edward helped me off with my coat and held my chair until I sat down.

We ordered drinks and began to look through the menu; this was not your average chippy.

"I think I'm going to have cod and chips, if that's okay?" I said to Edward.

"Absolutely," he said. "Although I think I'll try the haddock."

Our waiter came over and took the order, reminding us that everything was cooked to order so our meal would be a short while.

"This view is fabulous, especially now the sun is beginning to set," said Edward.

"I love the way it shines on the structure of the pier; everything has a wonderful golden glow." It looked so beautiful.

"The golden hour," Edward murmured. "That's what photographers call it, you know; the hour just after dawn and the hour just before sunset. It's when the sun is low in the sky and casting a special quality of light."

He spoke knowledgably and passionately and I was thrilled to hear him this way.

"You seem to know a bit about it."

"Perhaps." Edward smiled and winked.

"I suspect a little _more_ than perhaps, Mister Cullen. Out with it, what are you hiding from me?"

"Well…" He paused. "I might be known to take the odd image or two."

"I need more details. I see the glint in your eye. You can't kid a kidder, Mister C."

"Okay, Miss Swan, I confess. Numbers may be my 'thing' but I needed an outlet for my more creative moments. I can't draw to save my life, so an old friend suggested I have a go at photography; I bought myself an entry-level dSLR camera and started to play around with it."

"Are you any good?"

"Well, I've learned a lot over the past couple of years but I've still got a long way to go."

"You didn't answer my question." I pulled a face.

"Let's say I can take a reasonable photograph."

"I think you might be hiding your talent! I suspect you're much better at this than you're letting on. You certainly seem to know a lot."

"Knowledge is only any good when you're able to apply it," he said. "I enjoy the whole process; it's so different to what I do every day, it's a great way to relax."

He reached down into his coat pocket and pulled out a compact camera, pointing it in my direction. After pressing a couple of buttons, he looked at the small rear screen and smiled.

"Beautiful," he said.

"Let me see!"

He handed the camera over.

"Oh!"

"You like?" he asked.

"This is…good, Edward. I mean, you've made me look good. It's…wow! You're really good."

I was so surprised that I found it quite difficult to articulate well, but Edward had managed to capture…me. I was bathed in golden light from the window, my eyes were bright and my skin looked luminous. I didn't recognise myself.

Edward didn't say a word, but when I looked over at him, he was smirking.

"What?" I asked. "What did I do?"

Edward continued to smile and slowly shook his head from side to side.

"Bella, Bella, Bella, you're gorgeous and you don't even realise it."

I may have blushed beet red at his words, but was saved from trying to respond by our waiter who arrived carrying our supper.

"Cod?" she asked.

"That would be me," I said.

"So the haddock must be yours," she said, setting Edward's plate on the table in front of him. "Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks," we said at the same time.

"I'm never going to manage all this," I said, looking at the food on my plate.

"Try," said Edward, with a wink. "We can walk it off, afterwards. Your idea, remember."

The meal was delicious; the fish so fresh and well-cooked that it simply melted in the mouth.

"Open," said Edward, holding his fork close to my lips.

I blushed, but did as he asked.

"Mmm, yum!"

"Great , isn't it?"

"Absolutely; here, try some of mine."

Edward's hand covered mine as he held the fork steady and the familiar electricity buzzed up my arm.

"Tell me you feel it, too, Bella." He released my hand and looked into my eyes.

I simply nodded then took a breath and continued with my meal.

"Oh, Edward, look! How cute is that?" I almost squealed, surprising Edward so much he dropped his fork onto his plate with a clatter, causing an elderly couple at the next table to look around.

"What's the matter?" he asked, his voice concerned.

"Sorry," I mumbled, pointing to a table on the other side of the room. "Look, they serve the children's meals in a bucket and spade."

The face of the child who'd received it was a picture and he was soon heard begging his parents to go and build a sandcastle after tea.

"I thought you'd got a fish bone stuck," he said. "I was getting ready to do the Heimlich manoeuvre."

"You were not," I said.

"No, I wasn't." He teased. "But it would be a perfect excuse to hold you."

I admit I was flustered but pleased at the same time. I made up my mind, on the spot, that if Edward tried to hold me later, I wasn't going to refuse.

We finished our meal and declined dessert, although locally made ice-cream was very tempting. Ever the gentleman, Edward insisted on paying and then held my coat while I put it on.

The sun had all but disappeared, but there was still enough light to enjoy our walk.

"Come on," said Edward, grabbing my hand and leading me down the steps to reach the promenade. "Let's walk along the pier before it gets dark."

"The lights will be on in a few minutes; they don't turn them off in the winter."

"I know."

Edward pulled me close and spoke quietly in my ear.

"But it's more romantic without the lights, so I should probably take advantage."

He placed a sweet kiss just under my ear; I may have shivered with pleasure.

"Hmm," he said. "I think you like that; what about this?"

His lips brushed the corner of my mouth.

I sighed.

"Okay, yes…I think step 3 is in order…"

I closed my eyes as Edward's lips touched mine and allowed myself to get lost in the sensation. It was sweet and gentle with just a hint of pressure; the promise of what might come in the future.

"Bella, breathe."

I took a breath as Edward chuckled in my ear.

"Where did you go, my lovely?"

"Sorry, I guess I just zoned out for a second."

"Oh and why was that?" Edward asked, his signature smirk making an appearance.

"You're really _that_ desperate for a compliment, Mister Cullen?"

"I'd rather have you than a compliment, Isabella."

This time, when his lips met mine, I responded in kind. I don't know how long we stood there, joined only by our hands and our lips, but when we regained a sense of reality due to the 'tut' of a passer-by, the lights had come on all along the prom.

We continued along the pier to the end and then returned to complete our stroll along the prom. As the evening drew on, the temperature dropped and Edward put his arm around my shoulder, holding me to his side and keeping me warm.

"You fit perfectly," Edward said. "I knew you would."

"Are you suggesting I'm short?" I asked, teasing for all I was worth.

"You're not short, you're perfectly proportioned." Edward winked at me.

"Good answer," I said. "Although if you'd decided I was short, I'd have told you what my nana used to tell me."

"Which is?"

"That there's good stuff in little parcels."

"Hmmm…unless it's a vial of deadly poison that seeps into your skin on contact."

"Or flesh-eating microbes…"

"Maybe a silver bullet…"

"No good without a gun," I said.

"True! What about a gold nugget?"

"One of the nicer contents," I agreed.

We nattered on as we walked.

"Ready to head back?" Edward asked.

I didn't really want our date to end, but I nodded. It was beginning to spit with rain and the wind was blowing in off the sea. I wasn't ready for Edward to see my drowned rat look just yet.

The drive home was happy and relaxed; we listened to a play on Radio 4 and chatted about the inane plot, well, it began as chatting.

"But she's totally stupid to believe him," I said. "He's a con artist, obviously."

"She loves him, of course she believes him."

"Not all women are that naïve; she clearly suffers from Ostrich Syndrome."

"I don't believe I've heard of that one," said Edward.

"She doesn't want to believe he would lie to her, or cheat, so she buries her head in the sand – metaphorically – like an ostrich, so she doesn't have to acknowledge it."

Edward was chuckling.

"You make me smile, Bella. You say the funniest things."

"Quaint, northern sayings if you don't mind."

"So what others am I missing out on?" Edward asked.

"Hmm, well do you know what a fadgie is?" I asked.

"Is it rude?"

"Not at all."

"What would I do with it?"

"You'd eat it. With butter, maybe."

"Is it a type of scone?"

"Almost – it's a bread roll; my other nana used to bake them when I was a little girl."

"Okay, but why not just call it a roll?"

"It's a local thing; dialect, I suppose. What about bait?"

"Easy," said Edward. "It's what fishermen put on their hook to attract fish."

"Well, it is, but…"

"But what?"

"My dad always took bait to work – it's another way of saying packed lunch."

"You're weird, Miss Swan."

"It takes one to know one, Mister Cullen."

"Well, here we are," he said. "Home, sweet home."

He opened the door and helped me from his car. We walked, hand-in-hand, to my front door where we lingered.

"I've had a wonderful evening, Edward. Thank you so much."

"Thank you for agreeing to come out; I wasn't sure you'd say yes."

"How could I resist?" I asked, with a smile.

"I'm not sure that's the entire truth, but I'll take it," Edward replied. "I hope you'll come out with me again?"

"At the risk of being too keen, I'd love to."

"Tomorrow evening?"

I giggled.

"I guess that means I'm not the only keen one."

"Bella, I wanted to ask you out the very first time I saw you but the other me, the stuck-up, pretentious one, held back."

"I'm glad he's not around so much these days," I said.

"Oh, he has his moments," Edward replied. "But there's something about you, Bella, which keeps him at bay."

He leaned in and the searing kiss that followed left me in no doubt, Edward Cullen had hidden depths and I was very much looking forward to exploring them.


	30. Chapter 30

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty – Hi all, I'd meant to hold on to this chapter until next week in case life gets in the way again, but I can't. I love writing this tale, so I love to know your reactions as we travel along! Thanks to all who reviewed – sorry for reply-fail this time; just know that you are truly appreciated._

 _On to Chapter 30 … and maybe a little twist in the tail!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty**

Next morning, even though I was still half-asleep, when my phone pinged with a text alert, I rolled over and grabbed it quickly; I hoped it might be Edward.

I was slightly disappointed when it was Rose.

 _Rose: Emily and I will be on our way in 10 minutes; make sure you have the kettle on!_

I got up and threw on some comfy clothes. I'd just finished cleaning my teeth when the doorbell rang.

"Open up, Swan," said Rose in a loud voice. I could hear Emily grizzling in the background.

"Good morning, you two." I gestured them inside.

"Missy has decided she's hungry, is it okay if I…"

"Go ahead and get her settled, I'll bring the drinks through."

Fifteen minutes later, a sated baby had dropped off and Rose and I were chatting over our tea. We talked about the little one, about Emmett's super parenting skills and about school starting again in a few days.

"Soooo, are you going to tell me or do I have to drag it out of you?" asked Rose.

"Tell you what? I'm pretty sure there's nothing to tell."

I shrugged my shoulders and tried to remain passive.

"Don't even try to deny it, Miss B. There's something going on; I can see it in your eyes. You're glowing. Did you and the hottie, I mean Jasper, get together again?"

"Nope. Jasper and I have decided that we're better as good friends."

"I don't see you for a week or two and suddenly I'm out of the loop," wailed Rose. "I've no idea what's happening any more. My life is all about babies."

"Rosalie, answer me honestly, would you want to go back to life before Emily?"

"Well no, of course not! That's a stupid question."

"Life might revolve around her at the moment but she'll grow up all too soon."

"I know." A tear trickled down Rose's cheek. "I wouldn't swap her for all the tea in China. It's just…I miss being me, I don't want to get lost."

I moved to the sofa beside her and placed an arm around her shoulder.

"Rosalie Hale, soon-to-be McCarty, you can't be anyone else _but_ you. You're the one Emmett fell for, you're Emily's mummy and you're one of my best friends, those things are given. So, you have to focus on your daughter right now – that's as it should be."

"I know, I know. Damned hormones! I also happen to hate it when you're right. But I miss the things I've left behind, Bella. Not so very long ago, we told each other everything."

"Then you moved in with Em and got preggers."

I laughed.

"But I still knew everything that was going on."

"You still do! I mean, Em is the biggest gossip I know; he soaks it up like a sponge. They say us girls can talk, they've not met your other half."

Now it was Rose's turn to giggle. She laughed for a minute or two and then looked at me, curiously.

"Very clever, Isabella," she said. "You managed to divert me and not answer my question."

I assumed an innocent expression, well, I tried.

"You asked me a question? I'm sure I don't recall." I knew I wasn't fooling Rosalie for one moment.

"Cut the crap, Swan. Somethings happened and if you don't tell me, I'll…I'll…I'll withhold auntie privileges."

"Rosalie Hale, you wouldn't!"

I feigned horror. I'd planned to talk to Rose eventually and now was as good a time as any.

She nodded victoriously.

"Okay, you win," I said. "I might have agreed to a date."

"Fuck!" she squealed.

Emily whimpered and fluttered her eyelids. Rosalie rocked her daughter.

"Shhh, beautiful girl! Mummy's sorry she screamed like a banshee, but Auntie B has a date."

"Had," I said.

"Uh?"

"Had. I _had_ a date, Rose."

"What? When? Where? Who with?"

"Last night. It was the most romantic thing, Rose. We went to the beach; we ate fish and chips; we walked hand in hand along the prom. Ohhh, and when he kissed me I just about melted into a great big puddle of goo…"

I'm sure I sighed.

"So…?"

Rose stared at me.

"So, what?"

"Fuck, Bella, you're hard work this morning. Who is this amazing kisser?"

"Edward."

"Oh no, lady. Please, say it ain't so! Not the fuckwit next door; the idiot with the hyphens and a holier-than-thou attitude?"

"Rosie…"I whined.

"I've got to know him better and he's not like that at all. He's intelligent and shy and thoughtful and funny and generous and kind and…"

"Enough with the adjectives; I get it – you like him."

"I really do, Rose."

"And he's a good kisser?"

"The best."

"Did you fuck?"

"Could you be any more crass, Miss Hale?"

"Well, did you?"

"No. His kisses got me all hot and bothered but he was a perfect gentleman. He walked me to my door and kissed me goodnight, if you must know."

"Why didn't you drag him in and have your wicked way with him? Have you not learned anything, B? Enjoy every moment; live for the now."

"You know I'm not that girl. Besides, I think there could be more to this and I'm not going to spoil it by rushing into stuff."

"Did he ask to see you again?"

I nodded.

"He wants to see me tonight; he said he'd text me. I thought maybe your message was him."

"You make sure you tell the fucker not to mess with you. If he sets a foot out of line, he'll have me to answer to."

One of the things I admired about Rose was her loyalty. If she loved you, she stood by you. I had no doubt she'd take on Edward Cullen if he upset me.

The conversation veered away from my love life when Emily stirred into life.

"Hello, gorgeous girlie – come to Auntie B." I held out my arms and, after Emily was suitably balanced on my lap, spent the next while having a most wonderful conversation with my girl and her mummy.

T – C – D

As soon as Rose and Emily had gone, I checked my phone; 3 missed calls, 2 texts from Edward and a voicemail. How the heck had I missed them?

I felt very silly when I realised that, in my hurry to check Rose's text first thing, I'd managed to mute all the sound on my phone. I checked the texts first.

 _Edward: Good Morning, Bella. Thank you for coming out with me last night, I had a wonderful time. I was hoping we take you out again tonight, but something has come up…I'll tell you when I see you. Maybe we could have supper together around 8.30pm? I'll even cook! Hope to hear from you soon. Love, Edward x_

I did a little jig on the spot after reading it. _He's going to cook for me – is there anything this man can't do?_ I opened the second text. It was time-stamped forty-two minutes after the first one.

 _Edward: Bella, is everything okay? I hope I'm not being too forward wanting to see you again so soon. You would tell me if you thought I was pushing you too quickly, wouldn't you? Offer still stands for later – only if you want to, of course. Speak soon. E x_

Poor Edward, I could relate very well to the insecurity he appeared to be feeling. Under the veneer, we really did have a lot in common. I decided to check my voicemail first.

You have one new voicemail message. Press 1 to listen, 2 to repeat and 3 to delete.

I pressed 1 and heard Edward's voice, somewhat strained, on the other end.

"Bella, hi. Sorry to call but I was getting a tad concerned. I hope you're okay today and not regretting last evening. I'm sorry I didn't take you somewhere more…stylish, you deserve the best. Um, I hope we're still friends – at least – and I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to call my mobile; I'm in the office all day. So, erm, yeah…talk soon. Bye for now. Oh, it's Edward by the way. Bye, Bella."

The uncertainty in his voice showed a very different Edward to the hyper-confident one I'd first met. It was both sad and sweet. I didn't waste any time in dialling his phone.

"Edward Cullen." His voice was all business.

"Edward, hi, it's me, Bella. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

His voice softened considerably.

"Bella, hello. How are you today? No, not interrupting – I believe I said you can call me anytime."

"I'm really well, thank you. I'm so sorry for making you wait; I managed to turn the volume off on my phone, then Rose brought Emily over so I didn't really check again until just now."

"No need to apologise," said Edward. "I was a bit concerned, thought you'd maybe had second thoughts."

"Not one," I replied. "I'd love to come over for supper later."

"You would? Is there anything you don't eat?"

"I'll try pretty much anything, Edward, but there's no need to go to any trouble on my account."

"I promise it will be something simple and delicious – how does that sound?"

"Perfect." I giggled.

"Then I'll see you at 8.30; I can't wait, Bella."

"Looking forward to it already," I said.

"Until later." The phone went silent.

"Have you hung up?" I asked the empty space.

"Not yet." Edward chuckled. "I was hoping you'd hang up first."

"Well, I'll see you this evening then." I pulled the phone away from my ear, but couldn't quite bring myself to press the 'end' key.

"Bella, I know you're still there."

"So are you."

"I know; there's a large part of me that wants to stay and talk to you all afternoon."

"Me too, but we don't want to become the cliché couple!"

"Haha, you mean the ones who argue about who should hang up first?"

"They're the ones."

"So we should go?" Edward asked the question.

"We should." I agreed.

"Righty-ho! I'll say bye for now."

"Bye Edward."

There were a few seconds of silence.

"I know you're still there, Miss Swan."

"As are you, Mister Cullen."

"Indeed. Okay, fuck the cliché, let's do this. One the count of three. One…"

"Two…" I added.

"Three," we said together and I pressed my 'end call' button.

T – C – D

I was sitting at the table in the kitchen, having heated a bowl of soup for a rather late lunch, when my doorbell rang.

I wasn't expecting anyone, so imagine my surprise when I found Alice on my doorstep.

"Come on in," I said. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thanks," Alice replied, rather briskly I thought. "I won't be staying long."

"Let's go through." I gestured the lounge and Alice went in.

As she sat, I noticed that Alice's body language was somewhat stiff.

"Is something wrong, Alice?" I asked. "Is there a problem at school?"

"Well, since you asked, Bella, there is a problem actually."

"I'm sorry to hear that. How can I help?"

"There's no easy way, so I'm just going to some right out and say it. You're not the person I thought you were, Isabella Swan; I thought you were honest and loyal, but it seems I'm mistaken."

"Have I said something to offend you, Ali? Done something?"

"Not me personally, as such, but I thought better of you, Bella."

"I'm really sorry, Alice, but I'm not following."

Alice's eyes flashed with annoyance.

"Oh, come off it Bella. You've played your game perfectly, but I'm onto you. You might have fooled them, but you can't fool me."

"Still not with it, Alice. I've no idea what you're going on about."

Alice clapped her hands.

"Brava!" she said, continuing to applaud. "Most convincing. The Oscar for best actress goes to…Isabella Marie Swan."

My patience snapped.

"Okay, Alice, that's enough. I've no idea why you're here or what I've done, but it's really not okay to come into my home and insult me for no apparent reason."

"There's reason enough."

"So are you going to tell me or are you going to leave? Because, quite frankly, I'm lost here."

"Still claiming your innocence, are you? Okay, if that's how you want to play it, I'll play along."

"Do share. I can hardly wait."

"It has to stop, Bella. Right now."

I raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Stop playing them off against each other. I'm sure it makes you feel powerful to know you could have either one of them, but it's immoral to string them along. I thought you had more integrity than that."

"I think you should leave now, Alice," I told her.

"Gladly," she said. "But I'm telling you, Bella; stop messing Jasper and Edward around. They're friends of mine and they deserve better."

I should have called her out, said something, but I was so gobsmacked that I just stood there in silence as Alice Brandon stormed from my house, slamming the door behind her.


	31. Chapter 31

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-one – things are moving along! I wonder if any of you have worked it out? Do feel free to let me know_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-one**

 _Edward: I'm home! Just going to have a shower and then I'll start supper. See you in 20 minutes. X_

I stared at the screen; Edward's text seemed quite normal. I'd spent a large part of the afternoon trying to figure out Alice's visit.

What, or who, had given her the impression that I was dating both brothers?

I was hurt to think that she'd even contemplate it; I thought she knew me so much better than that. Besides, I'd made my feelings clear to both Jas and Edward – or I thought I had.

I went up to my room and changed into a slightly nicer pair of jeans and a smart jumper. I grabbed a bottle of wine, before locking up and heading over to Edwards.

The door opened before I had chance to ring the doorbell.

"Hi, Bella," said Edward. "Come on in."

He pulled me in for a hug which I readily returned. _Mmm, you smell nice._

Edward chuckled.

"Thank you, Miss Swan. Just a dab of Paco Rabanne behind the ears, you know."

"I'm so sorry, Edward; I honestly didn't mean to say that out loud. That's not to say you don't…umm…smell nice, I mean…Oh, goodness, I should just shut up."

"Shush, Bella."

Edward pulled me close and kissed me softly.

"My favourite way to shut you up. I'm so glad I discovered it."

I simply nodded and allowed myself to be pulled through into the kitchen.

"I love this room," I said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"It's just about ready but you could set the table if you like. I thought we'd just eat in here."

"Perfect! What cutlery do we need?"

"Well, it's only chilli, so whatever you think. There are some tortillas in the cupboard if you want to warm them through."

"Will do."

We worked side by side for the next few minutes until everything was ready to serve.

"Supper is served," said Edward. "Please get yourself settled."

Edward carried 2 plates over, then returned to the work surface to collect the tortillas.

"This smells delicious."

"I always add a glass of red wine; it makes the sauce richer somehow. Tuck in – don't want it to get cold."

I took a fork-full.

"This is yummy, Edward. You told me you weren't a good cook. I think you were telling porkies!"

"I can do what most blokes do – a chilli, a Bolognese, cheese on toast, those kinds of things."

"Well, this is really good."

I picked up a tortilla wrap and filled it with the sauce.

"Edward, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Bella. What's up?"

"I've had a really strange day. Alice called round and tore a strip off me."

"Whatever for?"

"She seems to think I'm playing games with you and Jasper, leading you both on. She was really furious, accused me of being a great actress. I was really stunned, so much so I asked her to leave."

"That's really odd. I had a chat with Jas before I even asked you out. We've only just put the past behind us; the last thing I wanted to do was to upset him again. He was really cool about it, said you were friends – gave me his blessing."

"I'd talked to him too. We agreed that we preferred to be friends. In fact, I thought he might be attracted to Alice. You don't think he's changed his mind and been sounding off, do you?"

"No, that's not his style. Something odd going on don't you think?"

"Mmm, I can't think what. She just turned up, said her piece and went. Where could she possibly have got this idea from?"

"Well, I know that Jas and I have both spent time with her – only talking, of course – I wonder if we talked, rather too much, about you?"

There was a brief silence as we both gathered our thoughts and ate our supper.

I was the first to speak.

"This is going to sound ridiculous, but you don't think Alice might be jealous, do you? There's no reason for her to."

Edward put his cutlery down and stroked his chin.

"She was very friendly and quite flirty when you were cooking for mum's birthday but I didn't think anything of it; I thought she was usually like that. She doesn't seem the jealous type, but what would I know?"

"She is naturally friendly; I've never met anyone like her. Alice Brandon is a pint-sized ball of energy who talks to anyone and is completely kind-hearted. That's why I'm confused about this morning – it was so out of character."

We carried on chatting about Alice's strange behaviour but didn't manage to figure it out at all. We finished our chilli and Edward brought out a simple fruit salad, which was the perfect foil to the rich meat sauce of the first course.

I helped to load up the dishwasher and Edward made coffee.

"Let's take these through to the snug," Edward said. "I've something I want to talk to you about."

It sounded a little bit ominous, but I followed anyhow. The snug, as Edward called it, was a cosy room just off the main living room. He'd lit the fire, pulled the curtains and switched on the table lamps. I popped off my shoes and snuggled into one of the comfy chairs.

"I'm intrigued," I said. "What are you being all mysterious about?"

"I've been doing rather a lot of research," Edward began to talk.

"About the Hunters, James and Victoria, and their business dealings. It seems you were quite right not to trust either of them. The modelling agency does exist and it's registered with Companies House, but they're making rather a lot more money than they've been declaring."

My eyes must have been like saucers.

"You mean … fraud?"

Edward nodded.

"I've managed to find some evidence of money laundering, too, using an offshore account. It's much bigger than we thought."

"What about the girls?"

"Well, they seem to have a large number of "models" on their books but when we've tried to look into their details they're rather lacking."

"Oh, Edward, those poor, poor women."

"It seems that way, but until the fraud squad have investigated fully we can't be sure."

"So, the authorities know?"

"Yes. I took my concerns and the evidence I'd collected to the senior partners; they were shocked, but grateful. They called in the police straight away."

"Will your firm be in trouble?"

"No, but the police want us to continue contact just now, to keep things fairly normal. We've set up a special area in the systems, so their account doesn't get mixed up in any other business. The police are pleased to have a lead; they've been suspicious of the Hunters but couldn't get anything on them, so we've inadvertently furthered their investigations."

"Well, that's good. Isn't it?" I asked.

"It is; I just wish I didn't have to have anything else to do with them. I'm still their account manager."

"That's rubbish. Will you have to see a lot of them?"

"Hopefully just one more meeting; it's not something I'm looking forward to. Anyway, let's change the subject – have you heard from Emmett and Rosalie lately?"

"Funny you should ask…"

We spent a while talking about my visit from Rose and Emily before deciding to watch a film.

"What's it to be, Miss Swan?" Edward asked, holding up a selection of DVD's to choose from.

"Ooo, is that The Woman in Black?" I asked, pointing to a dark case.

"I've been meaning to watch it for ages. I may or may not have a slightly unacceptable crush on Dan Radcliffe."

"Isabella Swan, you cougar!" Edward was laughing at my confession.

"Hardly," I replied. "I grew up with Harry Potter. Besides, he's twenty-five, not a child. His current girlfriend is thirty, so he's not averse to dating an older woman."

I stuck out my tongue at a laughing Edward, who was mouthing _cradle-snatcher_ at me.

"Are you sure you want to watch this? It's altogether creepy – a far cry from Hogwarts!"

"I don't scare _that_ easily," I said. The truth was, I'd not watched it because I didn't want to be on my own, having heard it was very dark.

By the end of the film, I was sitting on the sofa with Edward, tucked into his side and watching through my fingers. As the credits rolled, I may have shed a few tears.

"I really wasn't expecting that." I sniffled. "I can't quite get over that ending."

"Let me help you forget," said Edward, smoothly.

He pulled me in for a kiss, which did indeed take my mind off anything else. By the time he walked me to my door I was pretty sure that my dreams would be full of Edward Cullen and his magical lips.

T – C – D

 **Alice POV**

I was absolutely disgusted with Bella Swan!

I couldn't believe that she'd tried to deny her games with the Cullen brothers; after all, I'd seen the evidence.

It had happened by chance. The first day of half-term, I'd been at the make-up counter in one of my favourite stores, checking out the newest eye shadows. I'd finally decided on Biscuit Brown and Nearly Navy and was just about to head to the till to pay.

"Nice choice," said a male voice.

I looked to my left to see a tall, blonde guy, dressed in a designer suit, grinning at me.

"Sorry?" I asked.

"Oh, I do apologise; you must think me very rude." He held out his right hand.

"James Hunter. My wife Victoria and I run The Dark Side model agency; the shadows you've chosen will compliment your eyes beautifully."

I took the proffered hand and shook it.

"Thanks," I replied. "I do love make-up; I help a lot of my friends to achieve their look. It's a bit of a passion, I suppose."

"Have you ever worked professionally?"

"No, never, it's just a hobby."

"Do you have a portfolio?"

"Not as such. I do keep a few photos of friends on my phone."

"May I see them?"

"Well..er…I'm not really sure…"

"Jamie, darling."

A very striking redhead strode over to us.

"Who's your new friend?"

"Ah, Tori. Please allow me to introduce…"

"Alice. Alice Brandon."

"Alice is very interested in make-up. I wondered if we might give her a trial with some of our models?"

"Do you have time to join us for coffee, Miss Brandon?" Victoria asked.

"I suppose so," I replied.

We went to the in-store coffee shop and chatted for a long while. After a while, they asked to see my photographs.

"Very impressive," said Victoria, scrolling through my gallery.

"Oh."

She passed my mobile to James.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well, well, well," he said. "You know the infamous Isabella."

"She's a colleague and a friend, yes. I don't understand why she's infamous, though."

"She's such a player," said Victoria. "She even tried it on with my Jamie."

I tried to hide my shock. Surely, they weren't right.

"But enough about her; why don't you come over on Monday and watch one of our shoots? Maybe assist with the styling?"

"You'll love it, Alice," added James.

Numbers and business cards were exchanged and I found myself looking forward to visiting a real modelling agency.

I took care with my appearance before heading to the Dark Side studios in a very nice area of town.

"Alice!" I was greeted by a smiling Victoria.

"Let me show you around. Jamie will join us shortly."

They did have an impressive set-up. By the time we reached the set, I was drooling over the racks of designer clothes and top-end cosmetic products.

"Hi, Alice, glad you could make it."

James was raking through dozens of images.

"Just going through some of our back catalogue," he said, holding up a photo of a stunning dark-skinned girl.

"Zafrina," he told me.

"One of our most popular girls. Of course, most of our images are jpegs, but we still print a few."

"She's very beautiful."

I began to leaf through some of the other images. I had no idea what I'd find.

"Oh my God! Is this..? No, it can't be…is it?"

"Ah, darling Isabella, yes it is. Looking very cosy with Edward, wasn't she?"

"I did her hair and make-up that night."

The image was X-rated, pretty much pornographic. I felt sick to think she'd lied to me about a dinner date with Edward and a client. I was horrified to think she could work with children by day and do…this…by night.

"Of course, that's nothing compared to the shots with Jasper," said Victoria.

She handed me a couple of photographs.

"Not quite the squeaky-clean teacher, is she?" James chuckled.

"But kudos to her, Jamie. It's not many women could manage to run two brothers in tandem."

"Poor buggers – played on a grand scale. Nice chaps they are, too."

"Now, Alice, how would you like to help out with the next model? I believe they're making up Heidi, just now." Victoria led me to the make-up space.

I did enjoy assisting the make-up artist and I learned some new tips and tricks, but Bella and the Cullens were never far from my mind.

I was disappointed. Clearly, Bella wasn't the person she pretended to be – I'd seen the pictures! I liked Edward and Jasper, very much so and they deserved better.

When the shoot was complete, I thanked James and Victoria and agreed to do some casual work for them. As soon as I left the studio, I knew exactly what I was going to do.

I was going to confront Isabella Swan.

 _AN: Just one word – Photoshop! Keep the faith!_


	32. Chapter 32

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-two – Hi lovely readers! This is a very short chapter, you'll see why! It contains sexual references, so please avoid if offended or underage. Hopefully, it will explain a few things, too._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-two**

 **James and Victoria Hunter.**

"Well done, darling girl, well done."

I handed over a small wrap and kissed her on the tip of her nose.

"Thank you, Jamie. You look after me so well."

"I try to, Tori, I try to. Did you see the look on her face when she saw those photos?"

"Especially the one with the younger brother; I think we've found Miss Brandon's weak spot."

"Mmm…maybe, but we're not out to get Alice Brandon. It's that bitch, Isabella Swan, I want. Nobody puts me down like that, especially an overpaid child-minder. I've no idea what Eddie sees in her."

"Nor me; she's a really plain Jane. Perhaps she's dynamite in the sack?"

"Well, they do say the quiet ones are the worst…"

We both laughed.

"Maybe we should try to persuade Edward to join us," Victoria suggested. "I'm sure our clients would love him and it might loosen him up a bit."

I smiled as I pictured an image of the uptight Mister Cullen in the hands of a dominatrix we knew. The idea was quite titillating and I felt a certain part of my anatomy awaken.

"I'm not sure that asking our account manager to join our extra-curricular activities is your best idea, Tori."

I stroked her cheek with the back of my hand and she shivered.

"He's really very handsome; he'd make us a lot of money."

"I think my little pet rather _likes_ Edward Cullen." I loved to tease my wife.

"I'm almost as attracted to him as you are, lover," she replied.

We wife and I both had very eclectic tastes; perhaps that's why we made such a great team.

I pulled out the photoshopped images of Edward with Isabella and Isabella with Jasper. Tori leaned over me and scrutinised them closely.

"You are a genius when it comes to manipulation, Jamie," she said. "Thank god you got those images to play with."

"I can manipulate in every way, as you well know. It wasn't difficult, using that hidden camera, to get shots of the 3 of them. Then … pow … by the magic of photoshop, Isabella Swan in compromising situations with _both_ brothers."

"I thought you'd send copies to her – a little not-so-gentle persuasion?"

"Too easy, my love, too easy. Besides, she'd know right away they were fakes – unless she has been getting kinky with the Cullens without me knowing. I prefer the more subtle approach. Miss Brandon will go to her and stir the pot; I've no doubt of that."

"It's always about the chase with you, isn't it, Jamie?"

"It's the most exciting part; everything else is just a bonus. We need to unsettle her, make her feel vulnerable. Then, because we'll keep bumping into her…"

"We will?"

"We will! We'll get her to spill the beans and offer our support. Maybe, something to take her mind off things."

I looked again at the images in front of me. The one of Isabella, dressed only in a black leather corset and high heels – cliché, I know – on her knees with Edward's dick in her mouth, was a work of art.

"Just imagine that you're behind them, my Jamie," whispered Tori. "What would you do?"

I stroked the front of my jeans.

"Mmm, I'd be spoilt for choice, my darling. I'd really enjoy just watching, of course."

I stoked harder, enjoying the way the zipper felt against my erection.

"But you'd want more," she whispered. "Would you do Edward, or Isabella?"

"Fuck, Tori," I groaned. "The thought is killing me."

"Perhaps, a foursome?"

"You'd do that for me?"

"I'd do anything for you, Jamie."

"C'mere."

I pulled my wife to me and unzipped my jeans. She pulled up her skirt and hitched her panties to one side.

"On there." I indicated to the table spread with images.

I fucked my wife, hard and fast, as I fantasised about Isabella. _I'd make that bitch scream; nobody says no to James Hunter._

Tori came with a massive shudder. I pulled out just in time to shoot my load all over the image of Swan and Cullen together.

"Take that, bitch!" I snarled, tucking myself in and zipping up my pants.

"Time to implement Plan B."

 _James is a narcissist; he is unable to understand that not every person will fall at his feet. He is genuinely attracted to both Bella and Edward, although it is Bella he is focused on because she had the nerve to turn him down._


	33. Chapter 33

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-three_ – a bit of explanation and some unpleasant info regarding the Hunters. Please pass this one by if you're not ready to deal with sex or drug references.

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-three**

That was the first night I dreamed of Edward Cullen, although it wasn't all entirely romantic. Every time I got to a good bit, Alice would pop up, telling me I was despicable for treating Edward and Jasper so badly.

I didn't sleep at all well, so in the end I got up, showered and went downstairs.

I just couldn't figure it out. _What was I supposed to have done?_ _There had to be more to this, just had to be._

I pottered around the kitchen, getting myself a bowl of cereal and a cup of tea. My phone pinged.

Edward _: Good morning, Beautiful. I had to come in early today – trying to wrap up this business with J and V. I'll be very glad when it's all over._

Be careful, Edward. He's a clever man: deluded, but clever.

Edward: _You worry too much. The Fraud Squad are involved and have promised to keep us all safe. But enough – I don't want to think about them. I wanted to tell you what an amazing time I had last night._

Oh, me too. It was wonderful.

Edward: _I can't stop thinking about you, Bella. Can I come over after work? Please?_

I'm looking forward to it already.

Edward: _See you later, Beautiful xxx_

I practically hugged my phone, I was so elated. _Edward thinks I'm beautiful._

The morning dragged by slowly. I got on with some school work, did a little bit of ironing but nothing could distract me from thinking about what on earth had made Alice react in the way she had.

T – C – D

By late afternoon I was pacing. I'd tried watching my 'go to' DVD, Pride and Prejudice, I'd tried reading, I'd even tried mindless daytime TV programmes but nothing was working. I went upstairs in a mind to clean the bathroom – a bit of physical labour might be the thing. I'd barely got started when I heard noise downstairs.

"Bella, where are you?" Jasper's voice echoed through the house.

"Put the little on, I'll be down in a moment," I called back.

I put down the cloth and cleaning spray and headed downstairs.

Jasper was in the kitchen…and he wasn't alone.

"What are you doing here?" I growled, seeing Alice standing next to Jas.

"Bella…" Alice began to speak but I shushed her.

"Don't you think you said enough yesterday, Miss Brandon?"

I watched as Alice squirmed uncomfortably, my use of her more formal title clearly hitting the mark.

"I'm surprised you had the nerve to even come over. I thought I'd made my feelings clear – I thought you were my friend!"

"Please, Bella, I'm…"

I held up my hand to stop her, rather as I might have done in the classroom.

"Bella," said Jasper in a calm, quiet voice. "Forgive me; it was I who suggested Alice came over. There are some things I think you need to hear."

"Oh, really?" My voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Do surprise me!"

"I'm going to make us all a drink, then we'll sit down and discuss this like mature adults."

"Hmph!" I wasn't impressed at Jasper, so recently locked in a most _immature_ scenario with his brother, suddenly taking charge and telling me what to do.

Jasper went over to the cupboard and got out 3 mugs, tea and coffee. When he'd made drinks, he gestured to the table and one by one, we sat.

If I hadn't been so angry, I'd have been amused. This felt like an old fashioned summons to the Headmaster's office; Jas sat at the head of the table with Alice on his right and me on his left.

"Right!" Jasper began to talk. "Bella, I need you to listen to what Alice has to say. She came to see me at lunchtime to warn me about any kind of friendship with you…"

"What?" I screeched and made to stand up.

"Sit down," Jas said, his voice firm. "You need to listen. Something has happened, not Alice's fault. She was acting on information she'd been fed."

"By whom?" I asked, indignantly.

"James and Victoria Hunter – you know them?"

A chill ran down my spine. _Edward. He was working on their account today. What was going on?_

Jas must have noticed my look of concern.

"I think it's best we listen to what Alice has to say, Miss Bella. Will you listen…please?"

I nodded.

"I was out shopping on Monday, treating myself to some new eye shadow, when a tall, blonde guy approached me and began making conversation. Shortly afterwards his wife joined him and they told me they owned a modelling agency. Well, I'd already told James – he'd insisted I call him that – about my interest in make-up and fashion, and he asked me to join him and Victoria, his wife, for coffee. They seemed nice enough and were very interested to know if I had any kind of portfolio and I showed them the photos I had on my mobile phone – you know how I like to take photos of my friends when I've helped them out."

I nodded again, not daring to open my mouth.

"Well, James and Tori seemed impressed, but when they came to a photo of you, Bella, the one I took the night you went out with Edward to meet them, they were shocked that I knew you. They called you a player, said you'd even tried it on with James that evening when Victoria went to the ladies'."

"That's not true, I'd never…" My voice sounded small, even to my own ears.

"I was a bit shocked, but they moved on, changed the subject and invited me over to their studio to watch a shoot, perhaps even help with the styling. I was flattered and I agreed to go. I mean, everything seemed fine, nice couple, well spoken, professional business cards, studio in a nice part of town…I went over yesterday. Tori met me and began to show me some of their portfolios. A few were a bit near the knuckle, but hey, live and let live. That was when I found the pictures of you…with Edward…"

"What?" I yelled. "I've never had a photo taken with Edward; we've only known each other a few weeks, only had one date…"

"There's more, Bella. Please try to stay calm and listen." Jasper leaned across and grabbed my hand, squeezing it supportively.

"The pictures were X-rated, Bella. You were dressed in leather and Edward was naked, you were having sex…"

Alice flushed.

I groaned. "No, no … that's not true. How?"

"Shh, go on Alice." Jas stroked my hand.

"I'm sorry, Bella, it gets worse. A few pages on were some more pictures of you – with Jasper! Similar images, very X-rated, pornographic even. I was so shocked I could barely speak. James and Victoria almost made a joke of it, said you weren't what you seemed and that you must have something special to be able to manage 2 brothers at the same time. Then they said how sorry they felt for Jas and Edward as they thought they were good guys. Well, I helped a bit with the shoot, but I couldn't get things out of my mind, so when it was finished I came straight over to confront you, Bella. I was horrified to think you'd not only fooled me, but everyone else as well."

Alice stopped and gave a little sob.

"I'm so sorry, Bella."

I dropped my head onto the table, still clutching Jasper's hand.

The doorbell rang and I heard a chair scrape as someone – Alice, I assumed – got up to answer. I didn't even have the energy to stop her.

"What are you doing here?"

I heard Edward's voice as he strode down the hall and into the kitchen.

"Is somebody going to tell me what's going on?" he asked, angrily.

Jasper relayed the whole sorry story to Edward, ending by explaining that Alice had gone over to see him at lunchtime to warn him, and that she was planning on going to see him, Edward, after work.

Edward pulled his chair close to mine and wrapped his arm around me.

"It's okay, Bella. Everything will be okay. James Hunter is a sick, sick individual, but he will slip up. In fact, I think he already has."

I sat up and burrowed into Edward's side.

"Alice, Jasper," he said. "Let me acquaint you with what's going on…"

I shivered as I heard Edward telling Jas and Ali about the Hunters' accounts and how there was strong evidence to suggest they were involved in human trafficking and prostitution. He also mentioned our theory about James controlling Victoria with drugs."

"We're helping the Police with enquiries," said Edward. "We can nail them for fraud with the accounts, but the Police are still looking for more evidence about the other stuff."

"What am I going to do?" I whispered. "The photos – in the wrong hands they could ruin my whole career. I love my job. I'd never, ever, do anything like that. Why? How? Why me?"

I couldn't hold back the tears. Edward sat me up straight and held my hand. Alice passed a tissue, which I accepted.

"Bella; the how is very simple – Photoshop. The why? I suspect that you, darling girl, are one of the first women to ever resist the charms of James Hunter."

"I'm sorry?" Worry was making my brain dull.

"You denied him, love. That night at dinner. He told you he wanted you and you refused."

"Of course I did," I sobbed. "What woman in her right mind would accept a proposition from a weirdo like him, and with his wife there, too. He has no respect for anyone."

"What a creep," yelled Alice. "Slimy bastard."

"Sounds like a sociopath," said Jas.

"That and many other things." Edward spoke through gritted teeth. "I wonder if he suspects we're on to him?"

"Maybe," said Jasper. "But people like that are usually so full of themselves that don't believe that anyone could possibly outwit them, or gain any kind of advantage."

"He had me totally fooled," Alice whimpered. "Him and his wife. I'm so, so, sorry Bella. You too, Jasper. And Edward."

Jasper put an arm round Alice's shoulder.

"You weren't the first person he manipulated," he said, sympathetically.

"No!" Alice banged her fist on the table. "Not the first but maybe the last! I have an idea."

Edward made coffee and Alice began to outline her plan.


	34. Chapter 34

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-four_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-four**

Alice's idea was rather off-the-wall and we all felt deeply concerned for her safety. The thing was, it had a good possibility of working – unless the Hunters were having Alice watched, which she didn't believe to be the case.

"I don't care what you think," said Jasper. "I'll be staying over at your place for the next couple of evenings, just to be on the safe side."

"Hmm," said Edward. "One of the things about people like Hunter is that they believe they are so clever, they're invincible. It does mean that they underestimate other people."

"And I'm no threat," said Alice. "They've fed me their story and shown me the pictures – doubtless manipulated – and left me to relay the message, which I have."

"But I don't want you to get caught up in all this," I said.

"Too late, Bella, we all are – like it or not," said Jasper.

"I'm so sorry," I said.

Edward pulled me into a hug and held me there.

"This is not your fault," he said. "I should never have introduced you to them…"

"Pack it in, you two!" said Jasper, firmly.

"James Hunter is a sick bastard who gets off on manipulating people. You're both unfortunate to have registered on his radar. No-one is to blame and wallowing in guilt is forbidden."

"Perhaps we should just go to the police," I suggested.

"And say what? That the Hunters showed Alice some naughty pictures? They've not tried to blackmail you; there's no evidence of anything…"

"Jasper's right," said Alice. "The police would tell us off for time-wasting. We need some evidence."

"Which is where Alice's plan works," said Jasper.

"I don't know; I'm not at all keen. What if they are watching us? I don't think we should risk Ali's safety."

"We wouldn't do that," said Edward.

"Bella, it was me that suggested it. I'm supposed to be going over there tomorrow to help with the models' make-up. I'm pretty sure James will want to make sure you got their message. I'm convinced he'll try to ramp things up a notch, apply more pressure. He's going to be pleased when I tell him we've fallen out because I'm so disgusted with you and I'm thinking of reporting you to the Headteacher."

"I suppose so." I said.

"He's narcissistic enough to believe he's got you backed into a corner," said Edward.

"Maybe he'll expect you to go grovelling; begging him not to ruin your career. It's the kind of control he'd enjoy."

"I'd really prefer that Ali didn't go anywhere near that place. I don't trust James Hunter one bit."

"If I don't, Bella, he'll find a way of using those photos against you," said Alice. "At least this way we might be able to catch him out. I'll use my mobile to record anything he says."

We continued to talk and drink wine, any disagreements all but forgotten. I was still uncomfortable about the whole idea, but more than anything, I was grateful to have Edward, Alice and Jasper as friends.

T – C – D

 **APOV**

I was appalled at the things Edward told me about the Hunters. It made me more determined than ever to help in any way I could. I felt so ashamed that I could ever believe that Bella Swan would behave in such depraved ways, but I could totally believe that James Hunter was a sick, manipulative bastard.

Jasper had insisted on staying over to make sure I was okay; he even slept on the sofa, such a gentleman.

"It'll be fine, Jas," I told him.

"I know. Miss Alice. I'd just feel a bit more comfortable if I were close at hand, you know, in case of emergency. I think I'm going to drive over there and park up nearby, I think there's a public car park in sight of their studio. My little car will be very inconspicuous among all the Saturday shoppers' cars."

I gathered my supplies together; every professional make-up artist has their own kit and I wanted to appear as keen and eager as I had been when this was suggested.

Jasper continued to reassure me that he'd be close at hand and that if anything at all made me feel unsafe, I should leave immediately and he'd pick me up; we could return for my car later on.

I drove myself to the studio and parked in their car park spaces. I stuck on a smile and went into reception.

"Alice," said Victoria. "Lovely to see you again."

She came over to greet me; I smiled and returned her air kisses.

"I see you've brought your own kit, excellent. It's so much easier to work with products you know."

"Absolutely," I replied. "Particularly brushes!"

She giggled.

"Let's go and find Jamie," she said. "He's been making sure the set is exactly right."

"A perfectionist, then?" I asked.

"Very much so. Jamie likes to be in complete control of every aspect; it's one of the reasons we've been so successful."

"I think you have to be driven if you want to succeed in this profession. I love doing make-up, but I enjoy it as a hobby. I don't think I'd like the pressure otherwise."

"Surely, teaching is pressured?"

"Yes, it is, but we can't be in control of everything; we get some very unpredictable students. I suppose we just have to accept that."

"The half-term is almost over, isn't it?" Victoria asked.

"Yep! Back to school on Monday." I pulled a face.

"Not looking forward to it?"

"Well, yes and no."

Victoria raised an eyebrow.

"Please keep this to yourself." I told her. "I'm having a bit of a crisis of conscience."

"Oh, dear!"

"I know. I really don't know what to do."

"Oh, look, here's Jamie." James strode across the room and greeted us.

After more air kissing, Victoria continued.

"Jamie, perhaps you can help us here; Alice is having a few problems."

"I hope you're still happy to do the make-up today," he said.

"Oh, yes, of course. It's just…work…" I did my best to look downcast.

"I thought you loved teaching," he said. "You know there's a job here, if you change your mind."

Even though it made my skin crawl, I leaned over and gave him a hug.

"Thanks. That means a lot."

I pressed play on my phone, activating the record function, feeling thankful it was a top-end product with a long battery life. I said a silent prayer that it would work.

"So what's the problem?" asked Victoria.

"A problem shared…" said James.

"Truthfully…" I said, with a pause for dramatic effect. "I'm really uncomfortable about, well, what you told me about Miss Swan – I have to work next door to her, you know…"

"Poor you!" said Victoria. "It's a wonder she's still teaching."

"Obviously her bosses don't know about her personal life; clearly she has no integrity," said James.

"I thought I knew her." I managed to add a little sob to my voice.

"I'm sure she's fooled a lot of people, Ali – I can call you Ali, can't I?" asked Victoria.

I nodded.

"I don't know what to do."

"Well, something should be done," said James. "I wouldn't want someone like that teaching my kids."

I shrugged.

"I know, but…"

"Oh, little Alice, I wish we could help," said James.

"Maybe we could, Jamie."

"What were you thinking, Tori?"

"Well, we know all about Miss Swan's inappropriate personal life…"

"We do!"

"So perhaps we could back Ali's worries by providing her with evidence?"

"Perhaps so," said James.

"The thing is, Ali," Victoria said, "We'd complain ourselves but we don't have children at the school so who'd listen?"

"Hmm," said James, a slight smile playing on his thin lips. "But they'd listen to you, Alice, and we all agree that something must be done."

"Let us help, Ali," begged Victoria.

"Tell you what," said James, "We'll give you a set of those images and you can make sure they get into the right hands."

"I will…"

 _I'll make sure they get to the appropriate people alright; straight to Bella, Edward and Jasper. These two are so sly they could teach foxes a thing or two._

"Thanks, both of you. I really do appreciate all your support."

"Come on, Alice, I'll walk you through to the studio so you can get started."

I needed to take a risk. James and Victoria had offered me the pictures, but there was still nothing to show up their deceit. I needed a recording of the two of them, talking. As I picked up my make-up case from the front desk, I managed to slip my phone, still recording, under a pile of leaflets. As I walked away with James, I hoped and prayed it would pick up any conversation they may have.

I explained to the model what I hoped to do. Her outfits were quite avant-garde and her make-up needed to match, so I began by outlining her eyes. James watched for a while, nodding, before attempting a casual stroll back to Victoria at the desk but I could read his body language – he really wanted to strut.

I continued to work on the model, trying hard to focus. I could see, from the corner of my eye, James and Victoria chatting animatedly and looking very pleased.

I put the finishing touch to the make-up and took my chance.

"James," I said, approaching the desk, "if you're free, I'd really value your creative opinion. I think it looks okay, but you have such a good eye."

James was practically preening.

I leaned casually for a moment, before adding, "You, too, Victoria. I'd love to know what you think."

"I'd be delighted to advise," she said, standing up and smoothing her skirt down.

I retrieved my phone, hit stop and slid it back into my pocket.

"Ali, that's terrific," said James.

"Beautiful use of shading, darling," chipped in Victoria.

"Are you sure you don't fancy a change of career?" asked James.

"I've really enjoyed today, thanks both, but I'm not ready to give up teaching just yet," I said, grinning at the pair of them.

"You'll be welcome anytime," said Victoria.

"I'd love to come again," I said, lying through my teeth. There was no way I wanted to come back here…ever!

"Oh, that reminds me," said James. "I'll just go and get those images for you."

Twenty minutes later, I was safely back in my car. As agreed with the others, I returned to my own flat, just in case the Hunters were having me watched.

Jasper arrived an hour or so later.

We got comfortable and placed my phone on the table.

"Well, Miss Alice, shall we?" he asked.

I pressed play…and waited.


	35. Chapter 35

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-five – Hello, my lovelies, thank you for your patience and understanding._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-five**

 **APOV**

 _Last time: I pressed play…and waited._

The moment of silence that passed felt like an eternity, then, there was some rustling and crackling. Jasper picked up my phone and plugged in a tiny speaker.

I heard Victoria's voice, a little scratchy but clear enough. "So what's the problem?"

"A problem shared…" James' voice.

We listened as I spun them my sorry tale, a moral dilemma, and as they offered their 'support and advice.'

" _I'm sure she's fooled a lot of people, Ali – I can call you Ali, can't I?" asked Victoria._

" _I don't know what to do."_

"You sound very convincing, Miss Alice," said Jasper.

"I know there's an element of acting involved in teaching but was really tricky," I admitted. "I was totally repulsed by the pair of them, knowing the things I did."

We listened on, to the part where they offered me the photos; Jasper patted the brown envelope on the table and smiled. We listened again.

" _Come on, Alice, I'll walk you through to the studio so you can get started."_

There was a rustling of paper and the sound of Victoria's voice.

"That's me, hiding my phone under some leaflets," I told Jasper.

"Clever girl," he said.

For several minutes there was background noise, the sound of Victoria answering the studio telephone, footsteps, the ping of a computer…

Then we heard footsteps approaching.

"This is it," I whispered.

Jasper reached out and held my hand, squeezing it for reassurance.

"You did it, babe," said Victoria.

"Of course, my angel," replied James. "Silly cow has no idea at all. She's so full of herself, the wannabe make-up artist. It was all too easy."

I could hear the disdain in his voice.

"Argh!" I shrieked.

"Shh!" said Jasper. "Get angry later."

"You're a genius, Jamie. She will give the photos to her superiors, won't she?"

"Indubitably! She's morally outraged that her colleague should behave so disgracefully. Her sense of correctness will override any loyalty she thought she had."

I wanted to scream, to yell at my phone, but I held my tongue. The moral outrage I was feeling wasn't directed towards Bella, but towards the two scumbags who were talking.

"What if she doesn't, though?"

There was a note of uncertainty in Tori's voice.

"Oh, she will, but, I have insurance…just in case."

Victoria giggled.

"You don't think I'd give her the original images, did you?" said James.

"Mmm, my clever, clever boy."

"If all else fails, we can work on Cullen."

"Blackmail?"

"Let's just call it gentle persuasion." James cackled.

"I love it when you're all masterful," purred Victoria.

"Later, gorgeous, later," said James.

"Can we get one of the girls to join in? As a special treat?"

"If my baby wants a threesome, a threesome she will get."

"Please can we have Zafrina, baby? Please?"

"She's already booked, my love. But I'll make sure one of the girls comes over – whether she wants to or not…"

More giggles.

The sound of footsteps retreating told me that the conversation was over. It was clearly the time when James had returned to me.

I leant over, ready to switch off.

"Leave it!" said Jasper. "I have a hunch."

After several minutes of background noise, the unmistakeable sound of a ringing phone cut in.

"The Dark Side, Victoria speaking. How may I help you?"

A few moments silence.

"I'm so sorry, sir, Zafrina is unavailable this evening. May I offer you an alternative?"

More space.

"Well, if the exotic type is your preference, we do have Makenna available."

A pause.

"Oh, she provides a full service. Light bondage? Yes, of course, that's a speciality. What time do you prefer?"

The person on the other end of the phone must have spoken for several moments.

"Fabulous, yes, that's confirmed them. 8pm in the bar. Payment in cash on arrival; as usual, hand it to the model's driver. Great. Yes…yes, all in place. Thank you for calling the Dark Side."

Jasper pressed stop.

"Well, Miss Alice, I think it's fair to say that you did very, very well."

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

T – C – D

Within the hour, Bella and Edward had arrived.

Bella scowled when she saw Jasper and I seated side-by-side on the sofa, his arm wrapped around my shoulder, but it only lasted moments.

Edward gave her a nudge.

"Green doesn't suit you," he said, tickling her until she giggled. "Besides, you chose the best brother."

"Says who?" said Jasper.

"I chose the best brother for me," she told the three of us. "Um, on a romantic level that is. I mean... Jasper, you're one of my very best friends, but Edward…well…"

The 3 of us grinned at one another, before bursting out laughing.

"Bella, love, just put your spade down," said Edward.

Jasper snorted loudly.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked.

"He means you're digging yourself into an even bigger hole, the more you go on," I said.

Bella looked a bit flustered but she did shut up.

"So, Jess, you said on the phone that Ali had found some stuff about James and Victoria?"

"Shut it, Edwina!" said Jasper, although he was smiling at his older brother. "Ali was amazing!"

He pulled me closer and squeezed me.

We played back the recording on my phone.

"Holy shit!" said Edward.

Bella looked pale and clammy.

"Let me get you some water," I said, jumping up and going into the kitchen to fill a glass.

Bella gulped a few mouthfuls before speaking in a quiet voice.

"It was me," she whispered.

"No, Bells, don't go blaming yourself for this," said Jasper. "This is all Hunter – he's a total egomaniac."

"But this is all because…" Bella's voice ran out as a tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

"Because you, quite rightly, said no and stood up to the arrogant bastard." Edward handed Bella a handkerchief.

Bella began to sob.

"Why don't you two go and grab some beers," I suggested. "The supermarket has some offers on real ale and I know you're both fans. I think we could probably use a drink."

"But…" Edward nodded towards Bella, who was sobbing in his arms.

"Give her to me," I told him. "Grab some ice-cream, too. It always helps us girls in a crisis."

The boys got the hint, I guided Bella to the sofa and we sat down.

Edward was still looking very concerned, but I shooed them off. I let Bella cry until her tears slowed.

"Better?" I asked.

"Much," she said, her voice raspy from crying. "Why did you send the boys away?"

"Because sometimes, girl time is necessary. You needed a good cry; it's all been a shock. Edward is fabulous, but he worries, as does Jazzy; if they saw you all sobbing and snotty they'd be off to James' studios to sort him out and that could jeopardize everything. We need to do this properly."

"I don't want Edward or Jasper to get hurt," said Bella.

"Neither do I. They're good men, Bella, and we're lucky to know them."

Bella nodded, a small smile crossing her lips.

"We really are," she agreed.

"Do you want to see them?"

"See what?" Bella asked.

"The photographs? James gave me a copy of them to hand in to the SMT at school; he thought I was so offended that I'd drop you in."

"All because I refused him…what a creep!"

"Okay, here goes." I slid my finger under the flap of the envelope and slipped the images out; I hadn't shown Jasper, I wanted Bella to see them first and get over the initial shock. I laid them on the coffee table in front of us.

Bella looked at the images and gasped, before running from the room. Several seconds later, I heard the sound of retching from the bathroom. I wasn't surprised at all; James had obviously used some of his 'models' to pose, then photoshopped Bella, Edward and Jasper's faces onto them. He was a sick, sick individual and I was grateful that we had the evidence to bring him down.

I gave it a minute or two and then went to check on Bella; she was still pale and rather shaky.

"How're you doing?" I knew it was a stupid question, but hey.

"Alice, you have to believe me, those photos are not real; they can't be."

Bella stopped, took a deep breath and went on.

"Jasper and I did have a night of tipsy fumbling, but that was all it was. As for Edward and I…well, we haven't…"

"Yet!" I was pretty confident that Edward and Bella were the real deal, I could tell by the way they were together, but perhaps now wasn't the best time to share that.

"Bella, you don't need to convince me. You heard James on the recording; it's a stitch-up. He manipulated those images to blackmail you with."

"Have you shown them to…"

"No! You're the only one, so far. But we'll need to show the guys and then hand them over to the authorities."

Bella groaned. "How embarrassing!"

"You've nothing to be embarrassed about, it's not even you."

"I know, but people will think…"

"Isabella Swan, people won't think, because they won't see! Stop panicking." I said.

"I don't want Edward to think badly of me," she whispered.

"Dear god, woman!" I must have sounded exasperated. "Edward won't think that, he loves you."

"He does?"

"Shit! I hadn't meant to say that," I said. "But, yeah, you only have to look at him to see how he feels."

"Wow!" she whispered, a smile on her face for the first time since Edward had tickled her.

"Now then, girlie, get yourself sorted out. The boys will be back soon and we've got plans to make."

T – C – D

I had a lot to thank Alice Brandon for. After the double shock of hearing the recording she'd managed to get of the Hunters' and seeing those terrible, twisted images, she'd managed to talk me down and see the value of going through all the proper channels.

By the time that Edward and Jasper returned, I wasn't upset. I was angry.

We opened some beers and sat down to show them the contents of the envelope. I certainly wasn't prepared for Edward and Japer's reaction to the images.

"Yay! I'm a porn star," said Jasper, laughing for all he was worth.

"I'd like to think I was participating in sex education," said Edward, before, he too, burst out laughing.

"This is NOT funny," I yelled, looking from one to the other.

"Of course it is, love," said Edward. "We know it's not you, or either of us, so it's hilarious…"

"And a bit sad," said Jasper, more seriously.

"Pathetic," agreed Edward.

"Please stop." I begged them.

"And let that fucking psycho win? Never!" said Edward.

"I'm with Edwina on this one," said Jasper.

"Fuck you, Jessper!"

I could see the sibling bickering beginning.

"Right! Enough of this," said Alice forcefully. "Put on your big-kid pants, we need to discuss details."

"Well, obviously, neither of these men are us – right bro?" said Jasper.

"Obviously not," said Edward.

"But we need evidence that will potentially stand up in court; you two simply looking and saying it's not you isn't going to cut it."

"She's right," said Alice. "It would be your word against James'."

"Except, we have proof that it's not us," said Edward, looking over at his brother.

"Incontrovertible truth," agreed Jasper. "Shall we?"

They moved to stand in front of Alice and me.

"I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours," said Jas.

Edward chuckled and turned around; Jasper followed suit.

"On the count of three," he said.

"Three," they yelled together and, moving rapidly, they undid their jeans, allowing them to drop to the floor, swiftly followed by their boxers. Nanoseconds later, Alice and I were looking at two, very firm, very peachy, bare bottoms.

I gulped and Alice licked her lips.

"Well," said Jasper.

"You have a very attractive arse," said Alice. "Very squeezable."

She reached out her hand but I slapped her wrist.

"Sorry," she said.

"Bella?" queried Edward.

"Yours is lovely, too. Firm." I blushed.

"You're both missing the point," said Jas.

"Look a little closer," added Edward.

"Perverts," said Alice.

"What kind of trick is this?" I asked.

"No trick," Edward confirmed. "Just take a look – low down, left buttock."

"Is that…?" Alice gasped.

"I do believe it is," I answered.

"But what does it say?" asked Alice.

"Nunquam dare in," said Edward.

"It means never give in, in Latin," said Jasper.

"And it hurt like hell to get it done," said Edward, pulling up his pants and jeans.

"Don't be such a girl, Edwina. It was your idea." Jasper pulled up his zipper.

"Aw, brotherly love." Alice was grinning. "Matching tattoos."

"Not one of my better ideas," said Edward.

"Oh, I don't know," said Alice. "They could be just what we need to prove James doctored those images."

"Hmm, apart from the sexy factor," I thought.

"So you think it's sexy, do you?" whispered Edward.

I blushed furiously.

"I didn't mean to say it out loud," I said.

"I'm _very_ glad you did," replied Edward. "Maybe, when this is all over, you could take a better look?"

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Edward sat down next to his brother.

"Okay, to business … here's what I suggest…"

 ** _A/N:_**

 ** _Hi everyone,_**

 ** _Thanks for continuing to read; we're on the homeward strait now … maybe another 4 or 5 chapters. There comes a point in every story where you could carry on, but I think just a little longer will bring us all to a satisfactory conclusion ;)_**


	36. Chapter 36

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-six – Hello, my lovelies…finally a little resolution of the situation, or is it? Approaching the conclusion now…Bella's dilemma will be resolved!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-six**

The rest of the evening flew by in a flurry of discussion. I was concerned that the images could still implicate me in some way.

"We already know that James has kept at least one set," said Alice.

"That he'd use to get to me," said Edward.

"What if he just releases them – sends them to my boss or, worse still, the newspapers?" I wailed.

"He won't have time," said Jasper. "We need to act quickly."

"We need to take this…" Edward gestured at the photos and Alice's phone. "…to the police. Tonight. I don't want to embarrass you, but you understand don't you Bella? Love?"

"Yeah. I just hope it'll be enough."

"It'll be fine," said Alice. "James admits doctoring the images on the recording. If the police act quickly…"

"…and we add in the evidence from the office…" said Edward.

"We've got a very strong case," confirmed Jasper.

"I hope you're both right," I said. I had a very strange feeling about this.

T – C – D

After several phone calls, Edward was able to set up a meeting at his office. When he'd spoken to his boss, he'd gone on to contact the two senior partners who were very supportive. He'd also been given the name of the officer investigating the Hunters and between them they'd decided that the office was the best place to meet.

When we were settled in the boardroom of Foxwood Enterprises, Edward introduced us to everyone.

"I thought young Edward had a lightness in his step and a twinkle in his eye lately," said one of the partners, an elderly man with white hair whose name was Caius Volturi. "I'm delighted to meet you, Isabella."

"Thank you, Sir," I replied.

"Pah! No-one around here calls me sir, Caius will do just fine."

Edward cleared his throat. "If you've finished flirting with my girlfriend, Caius," he said, "we should proceed; it's getting rather late."

There was a rumble of laughter before a woman spoke.

"I'm Detective Constable Jess Stanley and I've been taking the lead in this case. Firstly, I'd like to thank all of you for the information you've provided so far; we've been watching these two for the past three and a half years. I believe you have some new information for us?"

Between them, Edward and Jasper explained everything that had happened. Jess handed over Ali's phone to a uniformed officer who was told to make a clean copy as soon as possible.

Caius took over and talked about the Hunters' account at Foxwood, explaining that it was down to Edward's clever thinking as their Account Manager that their possible illegal activity had come to light.

Then came the part I was most dreading.

"I understand that Mister Hunter has developed some kind of fascination with you, Miss Swan?" she asked.

"Yes." I nodded. "It appears that way."

"And he's blackmailing you?"

"Not directly. He's been using my friend here, Miss Brandon, to try and get to me."

"Because she refused to get involved with him or his company," said Edward. I could see a vein throbbing in his temple; he pulled his hair and rubbed over the spot.

"It's okay, Mister Cullen," said DC Stanley. "I know it's very embarrassing, Miss Swann, but may I see the photos?"

I looked around the room.

"Thanks for now, everyone. Maybe you'd like to grab a tea or a coffee while we take a look at these?"

Everyone stood to file out, leaving me with some shred of dignity.

"Miss Brandon and both Mister Cullens, would you stay please."

"Of course," said Edward as they all sat down again.

"I can see why these images would upset you," she said, scrutinizing them very carefully. "Even if you're not actually in them."

"You believe us?" I asked.

"Of course," she said. "You all have exemplary records, whereas the Hunters…well, let's just say they have previous."

"And there's our tattoos," said Jasper. "Proves it's not my brother and I."

"Ah…about that," said DC Stanley. "I'm afraid they'd be inadmissible as evidence – you could have had them done after the photos, an attempt to cover your tracks if you will."

There was a barrage of expletives as Edward and Jasper took in what Jess had said.

"However, there is hope!"

"I can't see any," I whispered.

"Which is why I'm a detective and you're a teacher," said Jess in a firm voice. "Now listen. James Hunter is clever, but not as clever as he likes to think. So many criminals believe they're untouchable, above the law; the more they get away with, the more arrogant they become. Hunter truly believes he is god-like and that will be his downfall. I want to get these images blown up – I believe there's something on there that will provide all the evidence we need. As soon as we have that, I've a team of officers on standby, ready to search their premises. Until then, thank you, go home and try to rest."

After a few minutes conversation with Caius, we left the building. I felt emotionally drained and I was more than a little nervous about what might happen next.

It was getting late, so Jasper and Alice decided to go back to her place, while Edward suggested he accompany me home.

"Coffee?" I suggested as Edward pulled onto his drive.

"As long as you're not too tired," he replied, placing a kiss on the top of my head.

"I doubt I'm going to get much sleep anyway; I just keep seeing those vile images in my head."

"Bella, everyone who lo… cares for you, would know you'd never do a thing like that."

"I certainly hope so," I said.

Edward pulled me close as we sat on my sofa, drinking our nightcap.

"I am so pissed off," he said. "That fucker, Hunter, thinks he's above the law. I hope to god DC Stanley finds something incriminating on those photos."

I sighed.

"From what she said, I think they're just another piece of a bigger jigsaw of evidence. I so want him to have slipped up, I can't believe that he'd get innocent girls… well, he's beneath contempt and as for that wife of his…"

"She's totally under his control, love, just like those other poor women."

We sat in silence for a while, before Edward spoke up.

"You need to have your mind taken off things," he said.

I nodded.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, a little birdie told me that she has a go-to DVD for when she's down in the dumps," Edward said.

"You'd endure that for me?"

"Uh-huh," he replied. "I'll even let you put your feet on my lap!"

"You might just be my hero." I told him.

"Don't move – I know where this one is," he said.

Edward got up from the sofa and walked over to the shelf housing my DVD collection; he quickly found the disc and took it over to the DVD player.

The familiar theme began and Edward got comfortable in the opposite corner of the settee, pulling my feet over his knees and tossing one of my crochet throws over us.

"Edward," I said.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Thanks!"

"No problem, lovely lady. I like taking care of you."

Edward pulled my hand up to his lips and kissed the knuckles.

I'd never met another human being like Edward Cullen, he was about as special as a person could be. I confess I kept sneaking glances his way when I thought he wasn't looking.

The fifth or sixth time I did it, I noticed the corners of his mouth turning up.

"Not so subtle, Isabella," he whispered.

I moved my leg in a faux kick, but it was all in fun. He began to stroke my leg of the blanket.

I woke up just as Elizabeth Bennet was storming out of her father's study having refused Mister Collins' proposal of marriage. I briefly thought that if I was going to miss part of the story, that was the part to miss – it was excruciatingly painful to watch.

I looked at Edward; his head was back, his eyes were closed and he was snoring gently. I smiled to myself as I noticed his five o'clock shadow – a little facial scruff really suited him, made him look sexier somehow.

I giggled at my own thoughts.

"I'm not asleep," said a deep, tired voice. "I'm just resting my eyes."

"Of course you are," I replied. "I just need to change position, okay."

Edward yawned and held out his arm.

I manoeuvred round and cuddled in under his arm.

"Much better," he said, pulling the cover around us again.

Needless to say, Mister Collins had barely left the Bennett household with Charlotte Lucas before Edward was snoring again.

I did manage to watch right until the end before I fell into an exhausted sleep.

T – C – D

I felt distinctly uncomfortable, I was too hot and my ears were ringing.

"Bella, wake up!"

I wriggled a little and grumbled quite a lot.

"Bella, sweetheart; you'll want to hear this, I promise."

"Edward?" I muttered. "What are you doing here?"

"Wake up, Bella; we fell asleep last night and there have been some developments."

That got my attention. I sat up quickly, then had to wait for a moment until the room stopped spinning.

"Headrush," I explained.

"Shall I make a drink?" he asked.

"Not just now; tell me about these developments please."

"Well, that was DC Stanley on the phone, she said they'd found what they were looking for and would have enough to arrest the Hunters."

"Thank God," I replied.

"Yes." Edward nodded enthusiastically. "She's also asked if we could go in to the Police Station as soon as possible."

I threw off the blanket and stood up.

"What are we waiting for?" I cried. "Let's get this whole thing sorted out."

I was heading towards the door, before I realised that Edward was laughing.

"It's not funny," I said. "Come on, we need to get there as soon as possible."

"We do, but Bella, I'm pretty sure there's time for a quick freshen up first."

I glanced in my hall mirror, only to see hair-stack hair, sleepy eyes and a line on my cheek where I'd leaned on a crease in Edward's shirt.

"Arggh!" I shrieked. "Go away; you can't see me like this!"

"Too late," said Edward, still smirking. "I happen to think you're beautiful anyway."

I was lost for words, so I simply scowled at him, which caused Edward to laugh again.

"Go on," he said. "Have a shower. I'll pop home and do the same and meet you back here in…is half an hour long enough?"

I nodded.

"Edward!" I called out as he was almost out of the door.

"Yes, love?" He stuck his head back inside.

"Don't shave!"

I swear Edward was blushing as he pulled the door closed behind him.

T – C – D

"Thanks for coming in," said DC Stanley as she settled into her chair. "I'd like you both to make statements, obviously, but I thought you might like to see this."

She picked up a remote control from her desk, called out to a colleague to dim the lights and pointed at a large screen.

Thankfully, there was no focus on faces but the images we'd handed over the previous evening had been blown up so that small sections filled the screen.

"See this?" she asked, her laser pointer highlighting a small discoloured patch on the thigh of the male in the picture.

"I thought you said that tattoos aren't permissible evidence," I blurted out.

"They're not, Miss Swann, but this…" She paused for dramatic effect. "This is James Hunter's birthmark."

I gasped.

"And so it this!"

She clicked onto a second image.

"Holy shit!"

Edward swore. "The fucker posed for those himself. Sick bastard!"

"Quite, Mister Cullen, but that's not all. Look at this."

Another click brought up another part of the images, a close up of some hair.

"I'm afraid Mr and Mrs Hunter forgot the first rule of identity fraud…"

"I don't get it," I said.

"Look closely, Miss Swann; what do you see?

"A small patch of hair?"

"Yes, now what do you notice about that hair?"

"Well, it's…oh, god, no…no, I can't look any more."

Jess Stanley clicked off the side.

"Quite! James Hunter didn't quite match his wife's collar and cuffs. He missed a few stray pubic hairs, very careless of him."

"Careless enough to put him away?" asked Edward, squeezing my hand in his.

"Enough to prove his intent to blackmail, which gives us cause to seize all his assets and investigate in depth, so yes, I'm pretty sure we've got him."

I was overwhelmed with a sense of relief.

After being taken into different offices to make our statements, we were declared free to go. We were just being shown out when we heard an almighty ruckus.

James and Victoria Hunter were being led, handcuffed, into two separate interview rooms. Victoria looked pale and haunted, but James was in a blind rage, cursing and swearing at anyone and anything.

I cringed and stepped behind Edward, trying to avoid him seeing me, but I was too late.

He stopped protesting and looked straight at me.

"You'll never escape me, Isabella Swann, never. You're mine now and I _will_ find you."

I heard a scream and everything went black.


	37. Chapter 37

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-eight – the aftermath!_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-eight**

I kept a low profile for the next few days.

As anticipated, the press were very interested in both Edward and I and we did find ourselves the subjects of plenty of newspaper speculation. Edward continued to work, choosing to stay in town in a hotel for a few nights.

Although I missed seeing him around, I understood his motive. A few journalists had caught him on the way into the office the day after the story broke and he told me that he didn't want to lead them to his home…or mine! We spoke on the phone several times each day.

Mark phoned from school and told me he'd had to call the Police when 2 photographers showed up at the gates, asking parents waiting for their children if they knew me. I was horrified but he told me not to worry, everything was going okay and my class sent lots of love and best wishes.

Rosalie was a star; she called in with Emily most days. Just spending time with the 2 of them raised my morale and I was becoming a dab-hand at looking after Em.

Alice and Emmet kept me in the loop as far as school was concerned and Jasper often dropped in to make sure I was okay. We were very fortunate living where we did – I'd heard from an old neighbour that there'd been a couple of journalists hanging around my flat. Happily, my new location didn't appear to be on their radar.

By Friday, I was beginning to go stir-crazy…I needed to get out. I called Tanya, who said she'd had a cancellation and would be able to see me after lunch. I called Edward.

"I think it's a good idea," he said. "Tell you what – why don't we meet up for a bite to eat beforehand? I've missed you."

"I'd love to, Edward, but what about the journalists?"

"What about them? I was chatting to dad last night and he reminded me that we've done nothing wrong. Nobody saw those pictures apart from us – they're only going on hearsay. We'll be chip wrappers by tomorrow."

I laughed.

"When was the last time you ate chips out of newsprint, Mister Cullen?"

"Okay, okay, I know. Health and Safety."

It felt good to laugh.

"Let's meet up at Daisy's Deli at 12.30," he suggested. "You know where it is, don't you?"

"Yep. I like it there. They do great rolls and paninis and it's only a short walk to Tanya's office."

"Looking forward to it already," said Edward.

"Me too. I'll see you in a while."

"Not if I see you first." He chuckled. "Bye, sweet Bella."

"Bye for now, Edward."

The thought of going out and seeing Edward raised my spirits significantly. I showered and dressed with more care than I had since the whole James episode. I drove into town, singing along to the radio.

I parked my car and walked to the Deli. I was muffled up against the chilly November weather, but I did keep looking around, somewhat nervous of being recognised.

I arrived at Daisy's before Edward and managed to find a table tucked away in a corner.

His smile was brilliant when he noticed me.

"Hi, Edward, I've missed seeing you," I said, rather breathlessly. "Were you followed?"

"Hello, Beautiful. You look wonderful. Nah, the journos seem to have lost interest – some other scandal to print, I expect." Edward bent over and kissed me full on the lips. The old, familiar spark was still there.

"How's work been this morning?" I asked.

"Busy," he replied. "It seems the publicity surrounding the Hunters has been good for business."

"How come?"

"We've added to our integrity factor. People can deal with us knowing we'll look after them and their investments."

"I'm glad there's some kind of silver lining in all this," I said.

"Just you wait until the hearing. It's really only a formality; they're bound to end up on trial with a whole raft of charges."

"Those poor, poor girls, Edward. Imagine being promised a modelling career, only to end up an escort, controlled by James."

"They'll be fine, my Bella. DC Stanley tells me they're all in safe houses, being protected and cared for. They don't think James and Victoria had any accomplices but they're not taking any risks."

The waitress taking our food order hesitated for a moment before scurrying back to the kitchen.

"Do you think she recognised us?" I asked.

"Nope. I think she was just overwhelmed by the sight of your handsome dining partner," Edward replied, running his hand through his hair, flicking it off his forehead.

I gave him a gentle kick under the table.

"My very _modest_ , handsome dining partner."

We looked at each other and burst out laughing. Our sandwiches were duly delivered and we ate in between catching up.

"Oh, I have missed you, Bella. I'll be back home this evening, may I call over?"

"You don't even have to ask, Edward."

Edward insisted on walking me to Tanya's office, taking my hand as we strolled along. The electricity was still there, and I realised that being with Edward was as natural as breathing; I always felt so much calmer in his presence.

I had a very productive hour working things through with Tanya. I left her office feeling more positive.

T – C – D

I was walking back to my car, thinking happy thoughts of Edward and life getting back to normal, when a sudden clicking noise caught my attention.

"Bella. Bella. Miss Swan. Is it true that you and Edward Cullen are an item?"

I looked down at the pavement, pulled up my coat collar and sped up. The car was literally minutes away. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might break out of my ribcage. I remembered Edward's words at lunchtime… _we've done nothing wrong_ …I lifted my head to look where I was going but I made sure there was no eye contact with the journalist.

"Bella, did you know the Hunters are in court next week?"

I wanted to cry but I wasn't going to give in. I smiled and continued walking.

"Bella, do you have anything you want to say?"

I'd reached my car and unlocked the door using my remote.

"I do," I said, stepping into my car. "Goodbye!"

I drove away with a genuine smile on my face, leaving a bewildered journalist standing in the car park, his mouth open.

The feeling of glee soon wore off and I began to panic somewhat. _What if they followed me home? What if I'd done the wrong thing?_ I needed to speak to Edward ASAP.

"Bella? Is everything okay? Where are you?"

I could hear the concern in his voice. He knew I wouldn't call him at work unless something had happened.

"I'm okay…well, mostly; maybe I'm a teeny bit shaky. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Are you still driving? Are you safe?"

"I've pulled over and I'm using hands free, don't panic."

Hearing Edward's concern for me had the effect of calming me – I didn't need him to panic now!

"What's happened, love?"

I explained about the journalist, what I'd done and what I'd said.

"I'm bloody furious about it, but it sounds to me like you handled it amazingly well. I'm not sure I'd have been quite so composed in your situation. Just one thing…"

"What's that?"

"Why didn't you tell them we're together? Does this bother you?"

"Don't know, really. I suppose my first thought was that it was none of their business. My second was…"

I took a deep breath.

"Was what?" Edward asked.

"Well I know we've been on a date or two. And I know we've seen a lot of one another, but we've never, well…you know…"

"I don't know at all," said Edward. I thought I heard a chuckle in his voice.

"Are you honestly going to make me say it, Edward?"

"Say what, Bella?"

I growled into my phone. "Grrr, you _know_ what, Edward. Stop playing games."

"Okay, okay. I'll have mercy on you. Bella Swan, would you please do me the honour of being my girlfriend?"

I didn't hesitate. "Yes, please."

"Excellent." I definitely heard a smile in his tone. "Now, I'd like my girlfriend to do me a massive favour."

"Hmm, what might that be then?"

"I'm going to give you a postcode and I want you to put it into your satnav and drive over there."

"I'll be fine, Edward. I'll just go home and see you there."

"You might be fine with that, but I won't. I don't want anyone following you or trying to get to you when you're on your own."

I sighed, but saw some sense in what he said.

"So where are you sending me?" I asked.

"Mum and dad's place," Edward replied. "I'll call mum and let her know you're on your way over."

"Oh, Edward, I don't want to bother your folks. I'm sure they'll have better things to do than babysit me."

"Dad will be working and mum will be thrilled to have you there. I told you, she loves you and she'll relish the opportunity to get to know you a bit better. Besides, she does love having another woman in the home – she can show you all her design ideas."

"Well, if you're sure?"

"Absolutely. I'll come over there straight from work. Mum will be in her element."

We said our goodbyes and rang off. Edward texted me his parent's address and I loaded it into my satnav and set off. It was a bit of a novelty, having someone to make me feel safe and cared for but I was getting used to it very quickly!

T – C – D

It took about half an hour to get to Esme and Carlisle's house and I'd barely had time to remove my keys from the ignition before Esme was hovering by my car door.

"Oh, Bella!" she cried, sweeping me up into a huge motherly hug before guiding me into the house. "Come on in, come on in…what a pickle this is turning out to be."

I couldn't help but smile at her choice of words.

She led me through to the kitchen and began filling the kettle. "Are you okay, my dear?"

"You know what, Esme? I think I am. It was a bit of a shock when the journalist appeared but, as Edward said, we've not actually done anything wrong."

"Good for you!"

"I'm not looking forward to the court date of course, and if it goes to trial, well…"

"Well, we'll cross those bridges when we come to them," Esme said. "Tea, coffee or something else?"

"Tea would be lovely, thanks."

Esme made the drinks suggested we go and sit in the snug, a cosy living room situated just off the kitchen. I confess, I'd been so preoccupied with everything that had happened, I'd barely noticed my surroundings.

"You have a lovely home, Esme," I told her.

"Thank you, Bella. The house has been a bit of a passion of mine – I daresay Edward mentioned it."

I nodded.

"I'll give you the twopenny tour later on if you'd like."

"I'd love that," I replied, genuinely pleased that Esme seemed to want to show me around. It made me feel welcome and wanted.

"So, how are you getting on with your leave of absence?"

"I'm missing the children at school, to tell the truth."

"Of course you are."

"But I'm not missing the paperwork. I don't think I'd be able to concentrate properly and do justice to everything. This whole horrid business with James seems to pop up, unbidden, any time of day or night."

"Forgive me, Bella dear, I don't want to pry, but do you have someone to talk to about all this? Your family? Friends?"

"My family…well, I think I told you about them. They're angry. Not for me, but about me and how my behaviour affects them. Dad disowned me the other day."

I knew my bottom lip was wobbling, but I took a deep breath and focused on my tea.

"I'm so sorry, dear."

"It's alright really. I've been to see my counsellor today and she's been really helpful as usual. I've got to let go and recognise that I'm not responsible for their opinions or choices. I've spent most of my life trying to live up to their – well, dad's really – unrealistic expectations."

"Give yourself time, lovely."

"I intend to. I may not want to, but I know it's the right thing to do."

"Well, any time you're at a loose end, you know where I am. You can come over, or we can meet for lunch; anything you like."

"Thanks, Esme."

"In fact, on a purely selfish note, I'm really looking forward to getting to know my future daughter-in-law."


	38. Chapter 38

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-eight – were you shocked by Esme's parting shot? I know I was! Maybe she knows something we don't! Oh, and prepare for another shock._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-eight**

We were just coming downstairs, having looked all over the house, when Edward crashed in through the front door.

"Quick! Put the TV on," he said, striding across the room.

"Good evening, Son," said Esme. "Where's the fire?"

Edward was too busy with the remote control to answer. He eventually found the channel he was looking for.

"What…" I ventured only to be shushed by Edward.

He had his eyes firmly fixed on the screen.

"Watch this," he commanded.

"Breaking news, just in…" came the newscaster's voice. "We have reports of the fatal stabbing of a prisoner at City Jail. The victim, believed to be James Hunter who is currently on remand for fraud and people trafficking, was attacked by another inmate late this afternoon. A weapon has been recovered at the scene and a Police investigation is now underway."

The newscaster moved on to the next item.

I plopped down onto the sofa, too shocked to say anything. Edward came to sit beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"I heard it on the radio as I was driving back," he said. "I couldn't quite believe it."

"What happens now?" I managed to stammer.

"I'm really not sure, love. We'll talk to Jess Stanley in the morning and see what she says. Meanwhile, we'd best head for home. Are you ready?"

"Oh no you don't!" said Esme.

Carlisle had just walked through the door. Before he had time to hang up his coat and greet us, Esme was speaking again.

"Tell them, Carl. They _must_ stay here tonight. There might be photographers waiting for them. I won't rest until we know exactly what's going on."

Carlisle held out his arms and shrugged at Edward and me.

"You heard your mother, Ed," he said. "Hello again, Bella."

I attempted a smile.

"Did you hear the news on the radio, Carl?" Esme asked. "What a terrible thing to happen. Are you going up to get changed, dear? I'll come with you, and then I'll come back down and get supper started. We can just have something simple but tasty."

Esme shepherded Carlisle out of the room, still talking nineteen to the dozen.

Edward pulled me over onto his lap and hugged me tight.

"I'm so sorry, love."

I sighed and asked him why.

"If you hadn't met me, you'd never have met the Hunters and you wouldn't be involved with any of this."

I saw the look on his face and all I wanted to do was make it better. I placed my hands around his face, making sure he was looking at me.

"Edward Cullen. Don't you dare blame yourself for any of this! James Hunter is… _was_ a sociopath and a narcissist. I could never say I was glad that someone died, but I'm certainly relieved for those poor, poor women he controlled…"

I hesitated.

"…and I could never be sorry about meeting you."

"Oh, Bella." Edward loosed my hands from his face and kissed me soundly. I felt the tension seep from my body as we held one another close.

"Ahem! Ahem!" Carlisle gave an exaggerated cough as he and Esme came back into the room.

"Beer, Son?" Carlisle asked, walking towards the fridge in the kitchen. "What about you, Bella? We have beer, wine, juice…"

"May I have a beer, too, please?"

"Es?" asked Carlisle.

"Beers all round." Esme grinned. "I think we all deserve one, don't you?"

Carlisle popped the tops off 4 bottles and passed them round.

"Cheers!" he said, as we touched the bottles together.

"Righty-ho! Time to feed my family. How about I whip up a quick spaghetti carbonara?"

There was a murmur of assent.

"What can I do to help, Esme?" I enquired. "I love being in the kitchen."

"Would you crisp up the pancetta please, dear? Do extra, Carl and Ed like lots of it."

She passed me a chopping board, a knife and a large pack of the ham.

"I'll crack on with getting the boiling water for the pasta and making sure I've enough grated cheese. I used a mixture of pecorino and parmesan; I find they give the most authentic flavour. Oh, here you are, I almost forgot."

Esme passed me some crushed garlic to put in with the pancetta.

I noticed that she'd got the spaghetti in the pan and the eggs whisked and seasoned. She them began to cut some bread into cubes.

"Why are you doing that?" I asked.

"Croutons," she replied. "Not the usual accompaniment I know, but we all like the crunch."

Thirty minutes later, we were all sitting around the kitchen table replete.

"That was great, mum," said Edward.

"Delicious," I agreed.

"Great, as ever," said Carlisle. "Come on, Ed. We'll load the dishwasher and make coffee."

Edward squeezed my shoulder as he passed by. Esme noticed the gesture and smiled.

"You've made quite a difference to him, you know," she whispered, making sure the men couldn't hear us.

"Oh, I don't know. He's a good man, Esme; I'm sure he always has been."

"Well, yes…the grounding was always there, but I'm afraid that Carl and I made a few mistakes with our firstborn."

"Babies don't come with instruction books as my friend Rosalie says."

"True. Nor do toddlers, children or teenagers – especially teenagers! I'm afraid we rather pandered to Edward when he got his scholarship, we were just so proud. We didn't notice how conceited he'd become until it was too late. Besides, we thought it might just be a phase he was going through."

"I've heard that teenage boys can be tricky."

"Well, you heard the rest from the boys. I don't know what we'd have done if you hadn't talked some sense into them."

"I was furious with the pair of them for behaving like school children in my home. In fact, I suspect I treated them rather like naughty students…"

Esme chuckled. "I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall. They both spoke to me afterwards and they were mortified, not that they got any sympathy from me. I know that Jazzy had a hard time with Maria, but Edward, well…in spite of all that pompous nonsense…he's a shy, sensitive soul. He's always been wary of getting involved with anyone and, if I ever asked, he'd always tell me he was far too busy with his career. But you…well, you're different Bella. Edward cares about you, I'm certain."

"He's pretty amazing, Esme, but it's early days for us. I care about him, too."

"Just one thing."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Take care of my boy's heart, Bella. He's already given it to you."

She rose from her chair and went over to collect her coffee, kissing Carlisle on the back of his neck as she did so.

"I don't know what I did to deserve that," he said, "but I liked it."

"Do I get one of those?" Edward placed my coffee on a mat on the table.

"You'd better ask your mum," I said. "I'm sure she'll have one for you."

I looked Edward full in the face, seeing his eyes smouldering as he leaned in and gave me a searing kiss.

"That's the way, Ed. See Es, he's his father's son after all." There was a note of pride in Carlisle's voice.

He dragged a giggling Esme out of the kitchen towards the stairs.

"Don't forget to put the lights out, you two…oh, and I've made up the bed in your old room, Edward. Night night."

T – C – D

"Sorry about those two," said Edward, a wry look on his face.

"No apology necessary; in fact I think it's rather lovely that your parents still find one another attractive."

"Yeah well…you're not one of their kids." Edward ran his hand through the front of his hair so that it stood on end.

"True that!" I said, trying not to imagine my parents in any kind of, well, you know… I yawned.

"Come on, love, you look done in," said Edward. "Let's get you into bed."

I couldn't help but giggle. When Edward realised what he'd said, he blushed.

"I didn't mean…"

"Shh,Edward! I know you didn't, it's fine. I think it's quite cute."

"Cute? Me?" He adopted his Mister MCH voice. "Begging your pardon, Miss Swan, but I think you'll find that debonair is a better description, perhaps sophisticated, maybe even powerful and masculine, but cute? Never!"

As I looked at him, I saw his eyes darken. "I may even have been called passionate."

My mouth was suddenly dry and I didn't feel a bit like giggling any longer.

"Oh, Isabella," he croaked, and before I could respond or move he pulled me close and pressed his warm, firm lips on mine.

I was quite breathless when we broke apart some time later – Edward Cullen was _quite_ the kisser! My mind began to wander to what else he might be good at, too.

After dutifully checking the doors and turning out the lights, Edward led me upstairs to his room which was decorated in a warm grey colour with teal accents.

"This is lovely," I said.

"Oh, it's at least the third redecoration since I moved out," he said. "Mum tends to try out new schemes here before she uses them for clients' homes. I never know what I'm going to find when I stay over. Now, do you have everything you need? Can I get you anything? You can stay in here and I'll take Jasper's room."

"I'm fine, thank you, Edward. Your mum has already loaned me a spare nightie and she said there's a spare toothbrush in the bathroom. So, I guess this is goodnight?"

"Don't tempt me, love. I'd like nothing more than to stay here with you, but I suppose I'm just an old fashioned man…my parent's house and all?"

I sighed. "I do understand, Edward. I'll miss you."

"Aw, Miss Swan, you say the sweetest things. Now come here and kiss your boyfriend goodnight."

Edward tiptoed off to Jasper's room, only to return carrying a duvet and pillow.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

"I'm going to head downstairs and sleep on the sofa," he said. "You know I said about mum practising her designs? Well, both Jasper's room and the guest room are out of action – she's obviously in the throes of a creative phase."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Edward. I knew she was in the middle of a project; she showed me around, earlier. When you came in and told us about James it went clean out of my mind."

I thought for a second.

"Edward, stay with me. We're grown-ups; big enough to share. I'm pretty sure your mum intended us to both be in here or she'd have made a fuss about you being downstairs."

"Are you absolutely sure, Bella? I'd never presume anything."

"Good. May I use the bathroom first?"

By the time I'd completed my bedtime routine, Edward had changed into an old pair of pyjama bottoms and an all-but threadbare Beatles t-shirt.

I climbed into bed and snuggled down, my heart racing slightly as I anticipated Edward's return. I heard a click as he closed the door behind him and a slight dip as he got into bed. I turned over.

"Hi you," I said.

"Hello, beautiful," he replied. "Do you want me to put a line of pillows down the centre of the bed to make sure I behave myself?"

"I trust you, Edward. But all this mess with James has left me feeling a bit shaky. Would you mind holding me, please?"

He held out his arms and I snuggled in, feeling warm and safe. After a short while, I heard Edward's breathing change as he fell asleep. My body felt exhausted but my mind was still active. I mulled over the awful scenario that had played out with the Hunters. I wondered what would happen to Victoria now that James was gone and I prayed for all those poor girls who'd been caught up in the Hunters' web. My last thought, as I drifted off, was of something Esme had said. I'd do my very best to take care of Edward's heart – so long as he'd take care of mine.


	39. Chapter 39

_Welcome to Chapter Thirty-nine_

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Thirty-nine**

Waking up with Edward felt as natural as breathing, although it was very difficult to behave and get ready after a rather fabulous kissing session.

"Mmm, I could get used to this," sighed Edward as he stalked off to the bathroom to get ready.

To be honest, I'd thought the same myself. Being with Edward was incredibly easy even though we'd only known each other a while. After the Jacob debacle, I'd deliberately held back, not allowing myself to have any romantic feelings towards anybody and the thought of a relationship appalled me; I was pretty sure I'd mess it up anyway. I laughed at myself when I remembered that, just a few short months ago, I'd pretty much hated the sight of Edward Masen-Cullen Hyphenated. Mind you, Edward had changed significantly in that time – he was barely recognisable as the pompous ass I'd first met in the Sales Office of Sunshine Meadow.

"What are you smiling at, Miss Swan?" asked Edward when he eventually came back.

"Oh, I was just thinking back over the past few months; it's certainly been eventful."

"It has that!" he said. "Although there are certain bits I'd rather not remember."

"Really Mister Masen-Cullen?"

"Please, Bella, that's one of the things I don't want to think about…I was so arrogant."

"Uh-huh!" I wasn't going to argue.

"A prize idiot…"

"You were, indeed."

"Are you going to give me any kind of break? Disagree about anything?"

"Hmm, well, I have to say you have improved upon acquaintance."

"Are you quoting Jane Austen at me?"

"Well spotted, Edward. But seriously, we may not have got off to the best of starts but I'm very happy with where we are."

"Me too, Bella; I never thought I'd find someone like you, but I'm so glad I did."

"I suppose we ought to get going. Are you going in to the office?"

"No, I spoke to Caius and he said to take a bit of time, sort things out with DC Stanley and make sure you're okay."

"That's really kind of him."

"He likes you, Bella."

"I'm glad he does! Having you here makes me feel a bit better about today. Shall we go?"

We agreed to leave my car at Carlisle and Esme's house to be collected later. Edward took me by the hand and, after saying goodbye to Esme, we set off to see DC Stanley.

T – C – D

"Thanks for coming in Edward." DC Stanley nodded. "You too, Bella. Have a seat."

We sat in the chairs Jess indicated and Edward grabbed my hand and held it.

"So what happens now, Jess?" Edward asked.

"Well, obviously, as far as James Hunter is concerned there's nothing we can do; he's no longer around to answer any charges. But…" Jess paused.

"…we still have Victoria in custody. We're hopeful that we can prosecute her as an accessory at least."

"What about the girls?" I asked.

"They'll be rehabilitated, Bella. Counselled and, if they don't already have somewhere, found places to stay, although there are a couple who appear to be illegal immigrants and we may have to repatriate them."

"I'm sure they didn't know what they were getting into." I sighed.

"Most likely not," Jess agreed. "But it's not your problem, Bella. Just be grateful you didn't get into his clutches. You're safe."

"Thank you, Jess. I, for one, am very glad to see the back of James Hunter. I don't know what I'd have done if…" Edward began.

Edward helped me up and pulled me to his side. "I don't know what I'd have done if he'd hurt you, my Bella."

My insides did a funny kind of wobble as I smiled up at him.

"I am."

"You are?" Edward looked rather puzzled. "You are what?"

"I'm yours, Edward, if you want me?"

"I've wanted you from the moment I first set eyes on you in the Sales Office, but I was such a pompous idiot…oh, I shudder to think what you must have thought of me back then."

"That was then, Edward. This is now. I think you should take me home and I'll show you exactly what I think of you."

We left the Police Station in a hurry and Edward drove back to Sunshine Meadow in double quick time. He parked on his drive and dashed round to help me from his car.

He raised my hand and kissed my knuckles.

"You're sure about this?" he whispered.

"Certain," I replied.

Edward fumbled with his keys in the front door and I giggled.

The latch clicked and he pulled me inside. He hung his coat in the hall cupboard and helped me with mine.

"Are you nervous, my Bella?"

"A little," I said, honestly.

"Me too," he admitted. "It's been a long time."

"I guess that makes us equal then. We'll…erm…get reacquainted together."

"I like your way of thinking, Miss Swan. Why don't we..?" He gestured towards the stairs.

Like the gentleman he was brought up to be, Edward placed his right hand on the small of my back and led me to his room.

"Come lay with me," he said, sitting on the edge of his super kingsize bed.

We lay, fully clothed, side by side, just looking at each other. Edward traced the outline of my lips with his index finger and I felt the spark of electricity that was always present when he touched me.

I reciprocated by tangling my fingers in his hair and gently scratching his scalp. He closed his eyes and made a quiet humming sound.

Edward leaned in and began to place soft kisses below my ear, slowly working round to the hollow at the base of my throat. I felt the heat rise up my neck and into my face.

"Such a pretty shade of pink," he whispered. "Does this excite you, my love."

I nodded and raised my hand to trace the outline of his chiselled jaw, enjoying the slightly abrasive feel of his unshaved face.

"You feel so good," I said, closing the distance between us and going in for a kiss.

"I want to make you feel good, beautiful," he replied, deepening the kiss and introducing his tongue into my mouth.

There was no battle for dominance, we simply explored together until the need for air broke us apart.

"Wow!" My breathing was elevated and my skin felt flushed.

"I think we're ready for the next step," Edward said. "I'd really like to explore what's under here."

He tugged at my top. "May I?"

I lifted my arms and Edward helped me to remove the blouse I'd been wearing to expose the underwear beneath.

"Stop!" I called out.

"What's the matter?" Edward asked, removing his hands from my body. "Is something wrong?"

"I need to go home and change. I'm wearing my everyday undies; my bra and pants don't even match…it's not pretty enough, or special enough for our first time."

Edward snarled.

"Isabella Swan, as if I care about matching underwear," he said. "I care about you, the woman who's beautiful inside and out – whatever she wears – the woman I'm beginning to fall in love with…"

He covered me with his body and placed firm, urgent kisses on my lips and face.

"Bella…love…you matter to me. This thing that's been growing between us is important to me; I know you feel it, too and I want us to have a future together, don't you?"

"I do," I said, looking up into Edward's beautiful eyes.

He began to brush my body with his fingertips. I sighed at the sensuality.

"Mmm, Edward, that feels wonderful."

My hands began to roam over Edward's back and arms, exploring his beautifully defined body. I felt his breath catch slightly as I untucked his shirt and made contact with his bare flesh.

He moved over and undid his buttons, clumsily fighting his way out of the garment.

"Let me feel you skin to skin," he said, pulling me close so we were snuggled together.

After a few minutes, he reached around to unclasp my bra.

"Is this okay?"

"Mmm, yes – ouch!" I replied, yelping a little as he gently bit my left nipple.

The pain quickly transformed into intense pleasure, as Edward began to suck, kiss and lick my breast.

I heard Edward moan as I began to scrape my nails lightly lover his shoulder blades.

"Feels so good," he hummed. The vibration shot through my body, waking up my lady parts and causing me to wiggle my body against Edwards. Even through the thick denim of his jeans I could feel his erection, straining slightly at being confined behind the zip.

I reached for the first button on his flies, undoing it slowly.

"Is this okay?" I asked.

"More than okay, my love, but it's only fair that I should reciprocate." He rolled over and lay on his side.

"Here…like this," he said, pulling me onto my side so we were facing each other, hands free.

In between long, passionate kisses and increasingly intimate touching we undressed one another until we lay naked. I expected to feel some embarrassment, but I didn't. This was Edward, my friend, my love, my present and my future…I giggled when I realised what I was thinking.

"Something funny, Miss Swan?"

"I'm just happy," I said.

Edward wiggled his eyebrows, Emmett style, and growled in a low, sexy voice.

"I'm pretty sure I can give you plenty to smile about."

With that, he pulled me towards him and sat me on his naked lap, tickling me as he went. I'm ridiculously ticklish, so I giggled and squealed attempting to fight him off, fidgeting all the while. I was helpless with laughter until I realised that Edward was no longer tickling. Instead his hands were exploring my naked body, stroking my skin, caressing my curves and making me feel so, so good.

My movements became less random and more purposeful. With my hands trailing over his abs and down his stomach, I rode him, creating a delicious friction which we both enjoyed.

"I think my lady is excited," he whispered, running his index finger over my sex.

"Are you ready for me, my love?"

"Yes…please…make love to me my Edward."

"Your wish is my command," he said before sheathing himself in a condom and doing exactly as I'd asked.

T – C – D

Edward stayed over – of course he did – before returning next door to shower and get ready for work.

After he'd left I wrapped my quilt tightly around me and allowed myself the luxury of time to daydream. Being with Edward was nothing like being with Jacob! One was cocky, over-confident yet secretive, self-seeking and bound up in lies; he used his charm to get what he wanted, irrespective of who he hurt along the way. The other, although uptight and rather aloof until you got to know him, was kind, generous and loving; his openness and honesty was wonderful – it was something I hoped to share for a long time.

Sex with Edward had been the most intimate experience of my life. Although neither one of us had been sexually active for some time, the whole time we were together was magical. I suppose, as Edward reminded me after our second coupling, we were both invested in making the other person happy and satisfied. The longer I thought about it, the more I realised, I was no longer happy being alone; I wanted to share my life with someone else – someone apart from my annoying inner voice.

I am invested in Edward Cullen.

 _Yes, you are!_

I actually want a relationship with this man.

 _So finally she wakes up to the possibility._

But what if I make a mess of it?

 _You're human; it's what humans do sometimes! But, they also sort things out together, just look at Jasper and Edward._

Yes, look at them. Brothers who made a stupid mistake and let wounded pride and stubbornness get in the way. They missed out on so much time.

 _I used to think you liked Jasper._

Well, I did…I do, just not in the way I first thought. Now he's more like a brother to me.

 _Very convenient! If you and Edward make a go of things, he'll be your brother._

I've always wanted siblings – of course, it was never to be, but…

 _But this would be amazing. Esme and Carlisle already consider you family. Remember what Esme said? About looking after Edward's heart?_

Yeah…I'm almost afraid to let myself believe it.

 _Don't do this to yourself, Bella. You are worth it. Edward loves you – he said as much last night._

He did. I guess I love him, too. Oh my gosh … I love Edward.

My inner voice was suddenly quiet, leaving me to ponder on my lightbulb moment. I wasn't just invested in Edward; I was in love with him - completely, totally and irrevocably and it felt surprisingly good.


	40. Chapter 40

_Welcome to Chapter Forty – Here we are at the conclusion of this tale of brotherly misunderstanding and a confused singleton. Thank you for reading x._

As ever, all things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm merely messing with her delightful creations. No copyright infringement or offense is intended.

 **The Cullen Dilemma**

 **Chapter Forty**

 _Twelve months later._

I was in a dilemma. I was usually pretty decisive, but this was completely uncharted territory.

"So, this one?" I held up the first dress I'd tried on. "Or that one?"

I pointed to the garment hanging on a rail, one of several Rosalie and Alice had persuaded me to try on.

"They're both gorgeous," said Rosalie. "Edward won't know what's hit him."

"They both look amazing on you, Bella, but the first one is _the one_ ," Alice murmured. "It has everything! It's classy, simple, elegant and…well, it's just you to a T. Try it on again."

Alice bounced on tiptoe as she always did when excited. I retreated to the changing room to get back into the dress. My wedding dress; a dress I was convinced I might never own…until Edward.

"Hurry up," said Rose. "I can almost hear you daydreaming from here."

I pulled myself back to reality and looked at myself in the mirror. I was not the woman I used to be. Well, _I was_ , in essentials, but I'd grown in so many senses. Edward's love was changing me.

"Come on, Swan. Stop mooning in the mirror, thinking of Prince Charming."

"I'm doing no such thing," I said, stepping out from behind the curtained area.

They both looked at me in ways that told me they knew exactly what I'd been doing, probably because these past couple of months it was something I did increasingly frequently.

"Perfect!" said Alice, clapping her hands excitedly.

"You look fabulous, Bells," said Rose. "Emmett will cry as he walks you down the aisle."

I beamed at both of them.

The dress was simple but beautiful. Based on a 50's style, it had a fitted bodice with an elegant neckline and lace sleeves. It flared out from the waist, its lace overlay ending at mid-calf. It was white with a discrete silver thread woven into the fabric and it made me feel special. The girls often teased me about Edward being Prince Charming, but this dress really did make me feel like a princess.

Alice, Rosalie and Emily Rose – who, at fourteen months old was tottering and toddling everywhere – were to be my bridesmaids, and Jasper was to be Edward's best man. The girls had chosen their own dresses in various but complementary shades of blue; I'd never seen the point of brides forcing all their maids into a single style which would flatter some body shapes whilst making others feel dowdy or awkward. Besides, I wanted my friends to have dresses they liked and might wear again.

All I knew about Edward's wedding attire was that it was classic, stylish and navy blue.

T – C – D

I suppose you could call Edward's and my courtship – that was Edward's name for it – a bit of a whirlwind. After the whole James debacle, when we'd acknowledged our feelings for one another, we moved forward rather quickly.

Just 3 months later, Edward declared that I was his forever and would I spend my forever with him. I didn't hesitate to say yes.

Thinking it was the right thing to do, I did take Edward to meet my parents, but things hadn't started well when I telephoned to tell them I was engaged. 'Darling Daddy' had immediately asked if I was pregnant. When I assured him that I was not, he suggested that Edward might somehow be less than intelligent for wanting to take me on. Mum, as usual, apologised for him saying he didn't really mean it and of course they'd like to meet my fiancé. A weekend was duly arranged.

As the time crept closer I became more and more apprehensive.

"Don't worry," Edward kept telling me. "I'm sure they'll be just fine when we're there in person."

I was not so confident.

When I introduced Edward, my father had tried to intimidate him with the old strong handshake trick. Fortunately, Edward was more than a match for this, which caused the first sulk of the visit. My mother, on the other hand, had batted her eyelashes and held onto Edward's hand for rather longer than was necessary. Edward merely smiled and gently pulled his hand away.

We decided to treat them to a meal out – a celebration – at a nice restaurant. Dad loudly declared it too posh and overpriced but I was able to sidetrack him to discuss the extensive menu. Edward ordered champagne on arrival but, much to my embarrassment, my dad insisted on having beer and then complained loudly about the price of it.

To say the evening was awkward is an understatement. Conversation was somewhat forced and, at times, it sounded as if Edward was being interrogated. I tried hard to change subjects and make polite suggestions but it was no use – Dad had the bit between his teeth and he was determined to find out if Edward was a suitable match for 'his daughter'. I did rather cringe at this; his normal behaviour seemed to suggest he had very little genuine interest in _his daughter_ and his interactions were usually only to criticise.

Mum did have the good grace to look bothered by his behaviour but, during a visit to the cloakroom, when I suggested she might have a quiet word with dad and ask him to back off a little she refused, saying that if she did, he'd sulk for days and she had to live with him.

The final straw was at the end of the evening. Edward paid the bill and left a generous tip for our waiter. Dad noticed this, picked up the note from the table and waved it in Edward's face.

"Money to burn, son?" he asked. Edward looked rather flustered but I was furious. I opened my mouth to give dad a piece of my mind, but Edward squeezed my leg to stop me.

"No, Sir," he replied, paying dad respect he really didn't deserve. "I just value good service and our waiter has been fantastic this evening."

"Pah!' Dad disagreed. "Rubbish! He's just a snot-nosed kid with attitude. If you're trying to impress me with your money, it doesn't work."

"Oh no!" Edward countered. His face took on that Edward Masen-Cullen Hyphenated look. Dad didn't know what was coming. In a very firm, low voice, he began to talk, his eyes holding my Father's until dad looked away.

"The thing is… _Sir_ …I don't feel the need to impress you with anything. I don't need to win your approval, nor do I care if you like me or not. The person I care about is this amazing, beautiful woman by my side…her opinion is the one that matters. All your attempts to put her down have failed; Bella is wonderful, inside and out, in spite of you."

Dad was gaping like a fish. Nobody had ever spoken to him like this before, but he didn't attempt to argue back. Mum looked tearful, and I felt rather sorry for her but she had made her own choices to ignore dad's behaviour; she'd have to live with the consequences.

"Now, if you'd excuse us…" Edward stood up, moved over to me and held my chair. Our waiter came over and Edward gave him a couple of quiet instructions and some money.

"Goodnight," said Edward in a firm voice.

"How are we going to get home? You're supposed to be taking us." Dad had rediscovered his voice and was indignant.

"The waiter is getting you a taxi. We're going home," said Edward.

"But you're supposed to be staying until at least tomorrow…"

"Well, our plans have changed," said Edward. "I'm taking my fabulous fiancé to a place where she's properly appreciated. Come, Bella…"

Edward put his hand on the small of my back and began to lead me away. He made no attempt to shake hands or say goodbye.

He was shaking when we got back to the car.

"Bella, love, I'm so, so sorry. I'd no right to speak to your parents like that. My mum and dad would be ashamed of me; they brought me up to have better manners. Thing is, when I saw and heard how he treated you, I couldn't help myself…"

"Shh!" I put my finger on his lips. "Thank you for sticking up for me; apart from Emmett, nobody has ever defended me like that."

"I believe in you, Bella."

"And I in you."

When the Wedding Invitations were sent out, I had a phone call from mum. She was very upset. Dad was refusing to come to the wedding. I wasn't at all surprised and part of me was quite relieved. I tried to persuade mum to come alone, inviting her to stay with me and telling her all about how lovely the Cullen's were and how she'd get on really well with Esme. She promised to think about it, but I knew deep down she'd stay with dad to keep the peace.

T – C – D

In between school and planning the wedding, my feet barely touched the ground. Time flew by until we were only days away from the wedding.

Edward and I had discussed where we'd live and we decided to keep his house and sell mine. Happily, this coincided with Emmett and Rose deciding to buy a place of their own. We managed to reach an agreement without having to even put my house on the open market. Jasper and Alice had moved in together within a couple of months of the Hunter debacle; they were so well suited it was quite uncanny.

It did mean that the whole gang were soon to be neighbours in Sunshine Meadows and we were all thrilled.

When it became apparent that my parents definitely wouldn't be coming to the wedding, I asked Emmett if he'd walk me down the aisle. After he regained he composure – he cried; yes, the big man is a big softie – he agreed and then launched into a tirade about parents who let their children down reassuring me that he'd never, ever, let Emily down.

Edward and Jasper took Emmett under their wing and soon it was as if they'd known one another all their lives. Rose, Alice and I laughingly christened them The 3 Amigos.

T – C – D

Two days before the wedding, we were all gathered at Esme and Carlisle's place for a relaxed supper. We were putting the finishing touches to wedding favours. Alice had suggested we order them ready-made, but I really wanted to personalise them for the small group of family and friends who would be attending. I'd taken over Edward's – soon to be mine – large kitchen and got to work on creating handmade chocolates. Rose, Alice and Esme had helped me to craft silver gift boxes and now, after supper, they were filling the boxes and I was handwriting labels.

I looked around and felt quite emotional. This was my family, my true family; the people who loved and cared for me without condition. Edward caught my eye and gave me a wide smile, mouthing 'I love you' across the room.

"Awww, look at the happy couple." Emmett teased.

"Leave them alone," said Rose. "No messing about, you've got an important job to do."

"I know," said Emmett. "Just wait until you hear my father of the bride speech! It will be epic. Belly-Bean won't know what's hit her."

"Bean, Bean," cooed Emily, reaching out to come to me. No matter how many times I'd told him not to, Em had insisted on calling my Belly-Bean in front of Emily. Now it had stuck. Bean was apparently easier to say than Bella.

"I'd hit you, you great big…bear, if it wasn't for my niece wanting cuddles, you'd be a dead man. I know your weak spot."

"Go on, Belly-welly, say the naughty word; I know you're holding it back…dare you!"

"Emmett McCarty," Rose yelled. "Not in front of our daughter!"

"Dad – dad," said Emily, with a toothy grin. "Naw…tee."

"Clever girl," I whispered in her ear, giving her a little tickle. "You know your daddy well."

Everyone in the room, Emmett aside, clapped and praised Emily.

Edward came over and sat on the arm of the chair I was in, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"Edwa," said Emily, holding out her arms to him. He happily held her close.

"You two are going to make beautiful grandchildren," sighed Esme. "Please don't keep us waiting too long."

"Es, give them a break," said Carlisle. "We haven't even had the wedding yet."

"Stop being so old-fashioned, Carl. Things like that don't matter these days."

Edward pulled me a bit closer. We'd talked about children and we both wanted them sooner rather than later, but we wanted to be married first. We decided that I'd stop using birth control before the wedding and from the honeymoon onwards we'd take our chances and let nature take her course.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you," said Edward. "But you'll just have to be patient."

He squeezed my arm.

The evening wound down and people drifted away. Em and Rose left first to get Emily into her own cot. She was such a good natured little girl most of the time, rather like her gentle-giant dad. But when Emily got into a real temper, she was all Rosalie, fire and fury.

Jasper and Alice left next, leaving Edward and I with Esme and Carlisle. Edward and his dad were talking business, leaving his mum chatting to me.

"How are you doing?" Esme asked me. "Feeling nervous?"

"Maybe a bit, but it's more nervous excitement than any kind of worry or doubt."

"You've made the right choice, Bella. Edward worships the ground you walk on."

"I love him too, Esme, so very much. Funny to think I couldn't stand him when I first met him." I giggled.

"I seem to think you had a preference for Jasper in the beginning?"

"I love Jasper, too, but he's much more a brother than a husband."

"I'm glad to hear that, dear. Keeping both of them for yourself would just be greedy,"

"And illegal!"

"Bella, I couldn't wish for a better wife for Edward, even though I know it's none of my beeswax. And Alice makes Jasper very happy, too. My boys are settled at last."

A tear slipped down Esme's face.

"And it's time to go," said Edward, holding out his hand. "Before mum gets all maudlin and sentimental."

"I'm just a proud mother," she said. "It's allowed."

We couldn't deny that.

T – C – D

The day finally arrived, fair but cloudy. I didn't care. Marry the love of my life was all that mattered.

The morning passed quickly with visits from a hairdresser and Ali fussing over make-up. Almost before I knew it, Rose, Alice and Emily had set off in a car for the church, leaving Emmet and I alone in my little house.

"You look stunning, Belly-Bean," he said, lifting my hand and planting a kiss on it. "Edward is a lucky man."

"Thanks, Em. It goes both ways, I'm lucky to have him, too."

"I have of course warned him."

"You have?"

"Yep! Told him if he hurts you in any way, he'll have me to answer to."

"And how did he take that?" I smiled.

"He was cool. Promised he'd love and cherish you, the way you deserve. I couldn't have let you marry an asshole, baby sis."

"I thought he was, at first, but now … now, Edward is my future."

The doorbell rang.

"Are you ready, lovely lady?" asked Emmett. "The car is here."

"Just give me a minute, Em," I asked. "Please will you go and talk to the driver?"

As Emmett stepped out of the room, I took a moment to look around at my little house. I'd only been here a relatively short time, but I'd been happy here. Now it was time to move on. When I returned, I'd be living in the big house next door with my husband. Emmett, Rosalie and Emily would be living here, making the place their own.

I walked down the hallway towards Emmett's outstretched hand.

"Goodbye, little house," I whispered. "Thank you."

I stepped over the threshold for the final time as owner. I'd be back – often – but it would be different.

Emmett helped me into the car and, my hand clutched in his for support, I set off to meet my Edward and our future together.


End file.
